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Errata. 

Page 15 line 3 for tolerable, read tolerably. 



19 


1 


1796 


1776. 


S4< 


12 


300 


60. 


68 


9 


Rarita 


Raritan. 


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13 


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3000. 


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hand» 



IN THE 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



iXH 



^mAWMih^ 



IN THE 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 



AND 



part ot Wi^^tv Canatra, 



^ 



BY WM. DALTON. 



H 



" Here you may range at large,- 



*« No bear to dread, no rav'nous wolf to fright, 

*' No flies to sting, no rattle-snakes to bite, 

*' No floods to ford, no hurricanes to fear, 

*' No savage war-whoop to alarm the ear : 

•' These perils all, and horrors you may shun, 

" Rest when you please, and when you please go on." 



.Or- -re 






APPLEBY s G/ 



PRINTED rOR THE AUTHOR, BY R. BATEMAN. 



1821. 



? 



\ 



/ 

.0 / 

o 



^ 



a^nUvtls at ^taiiomv^* l^aXI* 



TO 



WILLIAM CRACKENTHORPE, Esq, 

THIS VOLUME 

JS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, 

BY HIS OBEDIENT, 

HUMBLE SERVANT, 

THE AUTHOR. 



Advertisement. 

JLN preparing the following Observations 
for the Press, the Author has anxiously/ en- 
deavoured to exclude every thing which could 
have the most remote tendency to deceive or 
mislead. It loas from a conviction that no 
publication which he had then seen, was caU 
cuLated to give a correct idea of America^ 
that he undertook to examine for himself. 
A great majority of the books already pub- 
lished upon this subject, have been written 
either by men who have never seen the places 
described by them, or by Emigrants resident 
in America icho are obviously interested in 
persuading others to J'ollow their steps ; — in 
either case, little dependance can be placed 
upon their report. 

As these Remarks were taken upon the 
spotjbr his own use, they are set down loith- 
out arrangement ; and he chooses to let them 
remain so. from a conviction that a statement 
of facts and local circumstances as here laid 



Vll. 



t 



iown from personal observation, is better 
talculated to give a proper idea of the conn- 
try under consideration, than any methodi- 
cal arrangement can do. 

He would consider himself guilty of ari 
act of great injustice, icere he to omit to 
mention the obligation he is under to his fel- 
low-traveller, Mr. Wm. Laferick, of Mor- 
land. That Gentleman was his inseparable 
companion, and to his observations the Au- 
thor is much indebted. 

He has not the vanity to suppose that 
every sentiment contained in his book, will 
receive the approbation of every reader ; — 
to such who may feel offended he would only 
say 

HU-MANUM EST ERRARE. 



Crackenthorpe, 
February 14, 1821 



^MJIWMILB 



IN THE 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA- 



CHAPTER I. 

iVezc York — Jersey — Philadelphia, S^c, 

June 8, 1819. '" 

After a tedious and dangerous passage, 
we are once more gratified by tlie sight of 
land. Those only who have experienced 
what it is to be confined for several weeks 
to the bounds of a vessel, tossed about at 
the mercy of a tempestuous ocean, can form 
any idea of the joy and exultation felt in 
every breast at such a prospect. 

In the evening a pilot came on board. 
It is scarcely necessary to observe, that af- 
ter the arrival of this personage, the Cap- 
tain or Master of the vessel is only consider- 
ed a passenger. 

B 



2 

The face of the country after passings 
Sandy Hook, and more particularly on the 
eastern shore^ is delightful in its appearance. 
The soil not rich,, but the verdure remark- 
ably so. 

The ^'Narrows/' so called because the 
width of the river is here considerably dimi- 
nished, are situated at the foot of ihe bay, 
about three leagues distant from the city of 
New York, Here, on the Jersey shore, 
stands a semicircular fort of one tier of guns. 
This is supported by another, which is built 
upon the summit of a bill which rises almost 
perpendicularly from the rear of the former. 
At this place, the breadth of the river is 
considerably short of a mile. About a fur- 
long from the opposite shore, the State is 
preparing a very strong fortification, upon 
a large scale, with three tier of guns. 
About the middle of the bay there is another 
fort erected; and immediately facing the 
city, upon Governor's Island, a powerful 
circular battery with three tier of guns, the 
lowest being thirty-two pounders, threatens^ 



destruction to an in\a(lin«; foe. At the 
junction of the Hudson and East rivers they 
have erected another, which hy way of dis- 
tinction is called ''the hattery." Besides all 
these, there are one or two more in the 
North river behind the city. The magni- 
tude of the Bav and of these rivers, which 
iilmost surround the city, must add gTeatly 
to the sahibrity of the air and the heaUhi- 
ness of the place. There is a sufficiency 
of water for the largest vessels to float in, close 
lo the city. The wharfs jut out into the 
river, and are well adapted for the accom- 
modation of vessels, which bein^- run into 
the little docks called "slips," can lay close 
alon Inside them, secure from winds and 



storms. 



A tax of one dollar was demanded by our 
captain from every passenger, for what is 
called the hospital duty. This money, we 
understand, is added to a fund for the relief 
of foreigners oppressed by poverty or sick- 
ness. The government of this State has 
iijade a provision of ten thousand dollars 



per annum '^for the relief of the foreign 
poor.*' 

June 9. — This clay we made good our 
landing'. We were allowed by the officers 
of the customs to step ashore without a 
question being asked or any hindrance of- 
fered. Hundreds of spectators crowded 
the wharfs. In general they seemed to be 
well clothed. 1 saw no marks of poverty— 
not one beo^o-ar. 

In such a situation, every thing appeared 
to be new and interesting; and 1 felt the 
necessity of the greatest caution in making 
conclusions. In walkin"- through the streets 
in search of lodi'-ino^s, the most strikini*: fea- 
ture 1 noticed was the dress of the inhabi- 
tants. This was uniformly good. Their 
complexion appears to be generally sallow. 
i observed few females in the streets. 

A party of mihtia men were undergoing a 
drill in the streets. They were not dressed 
in regimentals. Every adult male, I am in- 
formed, between the ages of eighteen and 
forty-five, with the exception of public 



faiictionaries, clergy ir.eUj &c. are obliged 
to uiulerg'o a training, in order that they 
may be ready to act, if called iipoii^ in case 
of invasion. It is said that there are eight 
hundred thousand men of this description, 
properly trained, in the Union. Flogging 
is not allowed in the ranks of the American 
militia. 

The g^reat number of hogs running about 
the streets indicates something wrong. It 
js said they are useful in clearing the streets 
of bones, &c. Could no other plan be de- 
vised to effect this? 

June 9. — In the evening we crossed the 
East river to Brooklyn, upon Long Island, 
in a steam-boat, several of which are kej)t 
running constantly here. This is a pleasant 
place, its site being elevated, and some parts 
of it commanding a fine view of the city. 
The air being esteemed more salubrious 
than that of New York, many merchants 
and others doing business in the latter place, 
prefer boqrdin^ here. 



We called upon an Englishman, a watch- 
maker. With him, as well as with every 
emigrant we have yet seen, the cry is "I 
liad formed too high an opinion respecting 
the privileges to be met with here/' or, in 
other words, they had been disappointed in 
their expectations. The business of a watch- 
maker is perhaps, generally speaking, not a 
very good one, especially for an emigrant, 
from the difficulty of getting employment; 
but the workman is very well paid for what 
jobs he gets. 

There is a large man of war on the stocks 
in the navy yard, a little above this place. 
All the branches of the Union are usinir 
great exertions to complete their navy. In 
181 6 Congress voted eight millions of dollars 
for baikling nine vessels in eight years, to 
carry not less than 74 guns each. They are 
now engaged in building several of these 
ships called 74's, but which in reality will 
carry 96 guns (having long 32's upon both 
decks, and 24-pound carronades upon the 
quarter-deck and forecastle). TheColum- 



bla, lately launched at Washington^ In the 
presence of the memhers of Congress, for 96, 
will, I am informed, carry 110 guns. A 
particular friend of mine, who was an officer 
on board the Franklin, assured me that she 
carried 20 guns more than her rated num- 
ber, and, what was to me matter of greater 
surprise, she had 400 English sailors on 
board as part of her crew ! When we see 
all these preparations, and bear in mind that 
the American seamen are all select men, 
many of them Britons, who would probably 
prefer falling in battle to capture by the 
English, the conclusion deduced is ominous 
to their opponents, whenever they are call- 
ed into action. 

The celebrated steam frigate Fulton lies 
in the river a little above this place. The 
Americans say she is proof against all ex- 
ternal attacks, her sides being six feet in 
thickness. The length of this vessel is 145 
feet, breadth 55 feet, and she is said to have 
120 horse power. Upon any who might 
attempt to board her she is prepared to dis- 



8 

c'harge a g-reat qnaiility of hoilino^ wafer 
from the boilers which supply the steam ; 
and is in many other respects so peculiarly 
constructed both for annoyance and defence 
as to be very troublesome to an aj^gressor. 
She would cerlainlv liave a oreat advantage 
hi a calm, hut although fitted up with masts 
and sails, siie would, in a rough sea, labour 
under some disadvantages. 

We returned in a team boat. In passins; 
over the river one day, a passenger let off a 
rocket. Tliis frightened the horses to such 
a degree that they became unmanageable, 
and actually ran away with the boat down 
the river to Governor's Island. One of the 
animals having unfortunately stumbled, was 
dragged almost to death. These horses are 
not, as some may imagine, stationed on the 
sides of the river, but in the middle of the 
vessel which they carry across. 

We greatly admire the beauty and acti- 
vity of the horses employed in the streets. 
They are of a light breed. Laden or un- 



9 

laden the carman must ride, and when the 
latter is the case he goes at a brisk trot. 

I^cef, mutton, and Iamb, are not at pre- 
sent much lower than the same articles would 
Ije in VVestmorlaiul : With respect to the 
qsiality, the first is now very good, the se=- 
cond very bad, and the last mentioned arti- 
cle excel'ent. A sucking pig', weighhig 
about 1411)8. sells for about a dollar. 

I'he markets are abundantly supplied 
with fish of almost every denomination, ma- 
ny of winch are kept alive in water provided 
in the market-houses for that purpoj-e. As 
may be expected, the prices are very low. 

House rents are very high. Thiit in 
which we lodged during our stay here^ 
though not particularly well situated, and 
containing only two rooms on each floor^ 
is rented at 400 dollars or about 9Ci. a year. 
A friend of niiue in Wall Street, informed 
me that he paid for his house, which is about 
as large again as the one above-mentioned, 
a yearly rent of 2,5C0 dollars or about b62l, 
IQs. sterling:. 



10 

^he article of fuel is also very expensive. 
Those who are not provident enoui^ii, or 
who are prevented by want of money or 
convenience fnim laying- in a stock forthcir 
winter consumption before its commence- 
ment, have frequently, fiom the severity of 
the season, to pay an extravagant price for 
it. A cord of oak wood, i. e. a heap 8 feet 
lon^, 4 feet broad, and 4 deep, may, in sum- 
mer, be bought for 5 dollars, if liickory, 8 
dollars — in the winter the former will cost 
7 or 8, and the latter 10 or 1! dollars. It 
has been known as high as 30. Coal, which 
is not much used, except in manufactories 
where it is indispensably necessary, is sold 
at this time for from 12 to 13 dollars per 
chaldron, or about 9d. English per peck. 

Boarding, the price of provisions consi- 
dered, is excessively high. What is called 
genteel boarding, is from twenty-seven to 
forty -five shillings per week. At inferior 
houses, for half the price. It may be neces- 
sary to remark here, that the American dol- 
lar is equal in value to four and sixpence 



11 

fiterling";— -ill New York currency eight 
shiMings, Consequently, the shilling cur- 
rent is only worth sixpence three-farthings 



slering. 
I'Ue American coins are as follow : — ^ 

GOLD. 

"Facile .... value .... 10 Dollars. 

Half Eagle 5 Do 

Quarter Eagle 2 1-2 Do, 

SILVER, 

Dollar , 100 CentSa 

Half Dollar 50 Do. 

Quarter Dollar 25 Do. 

COPPER 

Cent I Do. 

Half Cent Half Do. 

Besiiles these, tliere are in circulation se- 
veral Spanish coins. The gold coins have, 
like those of Knglaiul, almost entirely dis- 
appeared. Dollars and half dollars are not 
very plentiful. All the banks circulate dol- 
lar notes. 

This city mav not improperly be caPed 
the metropolis of America. It is the first 
city in the Union, whether we consider its 
wealthy its commerce, or its population, It 



is said that it has for several years conlri- 
buted one-fourth of the public reve;nie, by 
the collections of duties on imports and ton- 
nage. Itspopniation is supposed (o amount 
to about 1 35, GCO 

There are several fine streets in this city. 
Tl:e P^roaJway, which is nearly thirty yards 
in width and about two miles and a half in 
leng-th, running through the city in a direct 
line, is the finest. The houses are built of 
red brick, in the most elei^an! style, and the 
shops are not exceeded in splendour by any 
in London. On the eastern side of the 
Bn-adway tiie streets are not regular. It 
is in this part of the city tlrat most of tlie bu- 
siness is carried on. That side nearest to 
the Hudson, is built upon a regular uni- 
form plan and contains many elegant 
streets. 

At the foot of Broadway and Greenwich 
street there is a small park of a few acre^ 
(bounded bv the Bay, the North and l^ast 
rivers), which is beautifully laid out into 
walksj &c. From this place there is a de- 



F 



o 



lightfiil view of the Bay, Long- Island, Go- 
vernor's Island, Staten Island, &c. 

There is also another park in the centre 
of the city between Broadway and Chatham 
street, enclosed with wooden palings. Ex- 
tended across the north end of this enclosure 
stands the City Hall. This is a noble struc- 
ture, built ill a most elegant style of archi- 
tecture, surmounted by a beautiful dome. 
The whole exterior of the front is of white 
marble. 

The merchants, particularly the import- 
ers of dry goods, complain much. The 
market for every description of foreigr^ 
produce, is completely overstocked. In 
short, the value of every commodity, except 
money, seems on the decrease — that, consi- 
dered as an article of merchandise to be bar- 
tered for other goods, is of more value than 
ever, and will increase in proportion to the 
deterioration in the price of every other ar- 
ticle in trade. 

In this stage of our travels, further obser- 
yations upon the state of trade^ &c. might 



u 

VJsdy be considered prv?iTiatiire. A traveller, 
lit his first entrance into a new country, 
Hiusi find Wis mind in some deiiree distract- 
ed l>y the multiplicity of objects presented 
to his view. He is desirous to iiave a more 
extended and general view of the landscape, 
before he can decide upon the relative beau- 
ty of any of the objects pourtrayed thereon. 
If he wishes not to di^ceive otiiers by a false 
estimate, he will be careful not to l)e de- 
ceived hioiself. It behoves him, therefore^ 
to proceed with caution, — to divest himself, 
if possible, of preconceived opinions, — to 
examine impartiallv, — to search out the 
truth, -r-and, if called upon to pronounce his 
opinion to the world, to declare 'the truth, 
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.* 
June 12. — [.eft N«nv York for Philadel- 
phia, by wav of Faulos Hook, &c. At the 
distance of a tew miles from the former ci- 
ty, our road led us through a large marshy 
tract of land, called the ("edar Swimp, con- 
tai':iing several thousands of acres, most of 
which has at no distant period been covered 



15 

Witb timber. A considerahlo portion is c;er,r 
of stumps, i\x\dj being'partially drained, now 
bears toler^ible good crops of wheat m\d 
rye, wbich^ even in this situation, will be 
ripe six weeks sooner than the same <>rain 
wonld be in tlie North of England A j^rent 
part, however, is yet covered with siinnps 
and bruslivvood. Its vicinity to New York 
wonld make the timber valuable, as also the 
ground, but this swamp must be extremely 
mdiealthy for settlers, from its very low si^ 
tuation. I observed some huts in ihe midst 
of this tract, but bad not an opportunity of 
g-ratifying my wish to see the inhabitants. 

At this season of the year, the country 
through which we travelled is very pleasant. 
The soil is generally light and apparently 
poor, but bearing a strong argument in fa- 
vour of its fertility^ viz. good crops. In- 
deed the fineness of the climate seems in 
some measure to supply the lack of good 
management. 1 ought, in justice, to ob- 
serve, thai there are some farms in this tract 
tvhicii should be excepted from the general 



16 

stig^ma of being" poorly coiidactetl, af? well 
as from that of poverty of soil, beln^ culti- 
vated in a good style, and, in many respects, 
in the English mode. The crops of red 
clover are al)undant. The sides of the 
roads are covered with white, which springs 
gpontancoiisly. During the night the air 
was filled with lii^htnino^-buofs or fire-flies. 
These are small insects, which emit a strong- 
brilliant light from their bodies. They ap- 
peared to be most numerous in low situations. 

In our track from New York to Phila- 
delphia we passed through several hand- 
some towns^ which I shall briefly notice, 
Newark, distant about nine miles from New 
York— a handsome town^ finely situated, 
and containing, I am informed, about 2000 
inhabitants. The adjacent country appears 
to be tolerably fertile. Elizabedi Town, 
situate about six miles S. W. of Newark, is 
a neat place, and is surrounded by land of 
superior quality. 

New Brunswick, Princeton, and Tren- 
ton, which last is the capital of New Jersey, 



17 



are all places of considerable impoiiance. 
Piir.ceton is noted for its colleoe, winch is 
well endowed and has a good library. 

'^J^enton is celebrated for a happy stroke of 
generalship displayed here by Washington. 
The affairs of the Americans had, at that 
lime, a very unpromising appearance. They 
had been compelled to retreat from Long 
Island. New York was in the hands of the 
British. Several forts had been lately lost, 
and the period for the service in the Ameri- 
can army had expired. But though the 
eagle was impeded in her progress, she 

** Still soar'd with eyes fix'd on Victory's sun." 

The star of Liberty had at length risen in 
the West, and though it might for a moment 
be shrouded by clouds, or darkened by 
storms, it was destined to overcome, by the 
brilliancy of its light, the obscurity that 
surrounded it ; and to shine forth with 
meridian splendour until the planets them- 
selves should be ^'lost in its blaze," 

The army of the brave Washin^on was 
recruited bv volunteers. On the nJiiht of 

« . o 

U 



18 

(lie 25fliDpceml)er, 177f>, 'liev crossed llie 
Delaware over the ice, surprised a brigade 
of their invaders at this place^ and before 
the British forces could reach them, made 
good their retreat to Princeton, then in the 
enemy's hands, which post diey stormed, 
and then renewed their former position! 

The behaviour of tavern-keepers has of* 
ten been noticed by travellers ; — indeed the 
difference between the haughty indepen- 
dent carriage of these, and the officious and 
respectful behaviour of those in England, is 
too striking to escape the observation of the 
most careless obseiTer. At one of these 
taverns, Avhere we had called for the sake of 
obtaining a little refreshment, I happened 
rather rashly to order a glass of rum. To 
notice this order would bave been deo radini^ 
to the feelings of this son of Liberty. A 
renewal of the application produced no other 
effect — it was treated with silent contempt. 
I saw the error into which 1 had fallen, and 
requested him to make me one. With a 
smile of contempt^ ^Yhich had almost driven 



19 

me from his house, he asked me ^'^ what, kind 
of ram?" ''Jamaica, to be sure/' was my 
re})Iy. I then obtained my request. To 
give the reader to nftderstand the meaning 
of the last question, I ought to remark, that 
great quantities of this fiery liquid are made 
in this country. This is called rum. That 
which is imported goes by the name of spi- 
rits, and is retailed at double the price of the 
former. At the place above-mentioned I 
V, as charged an eleven-penny-bit (sixpence 
three-farthings). N. B. In New Jersey two 
tive-penny's make an eleven-penny-bit! — 
This eleven-penny is the York shilling, 
eiijrht of which make a dollar,* 

We crossed the Delaware at Trenton, 
over the celebrated bridge at that place. 



* With travellers the temptation to egotistic prolixi- 
ty is very great. The reader will naturally feel his in- 
terest in their welfare increase as they go along, but there 
is a minuteness of detail that he wishes not to hear. 
There are some facts which are of no value. I conceive 
the above to be characteristic, and therefore not alto^e- 
%her useless. 



20 



The gangway (as a sailor would call it) is 
suspended under the arches by a vast num- 
ber of chains^ and covered in, so as to be 
kept always dry. There is a penalty for 
suffering a horse to go faster than a walk 
over it. The whole length of this wonder- 
ful piece of architecture is 970 feet. 

We entered the State of Pennsylvania 
here, with very pleasing sensations, which 
were not lessened, when after travelling 
through a pleasantly diversified country, by 
way of Bristol and Holmesburg, we arrived 
at its capital, the beautiful Philadelphia. 

All Ihe streets in this city, with the ex- 
ception of Dock street, are perfectly straigist; 
running in a direct line from one end of the 
citv to the other, and from the Scuvlkill to 
the Delaw^are. From the widlh and regu- 
larity of the streets, the city covers a great 
extent of ground, and is supposed to con- 
tain, including the suburbs, about 120,000 
inhabitants. In High street (which runs 
through the centre of the city from the De- 
laware to the Scuvlkill) there arc a consi- 



>1 

derable niuiiber of neat market-liouscs; 
built in the luiddlc of the street^ extending* 
from Water street to Sixth street, a distance 
of several hundred yards. They are so ar- 
ranged that the markets for vegetables and 
fruity and those for animal food, are kept se- 
parate. There are other buildings, in other 
parts of the city, erected for the same pur- 
pose. Being built of brick, upon a very 
neat and convenient plan, they are exceed 
ingly useful ; and are kept remarkably clean 
and orderly. The upper part of this fine 
street is always occupied by great numbers 
of waggons from the interior, chiefly from 
Pittsburg. 

Some of the streets, in particular Chesnut 
and Walnut streets, are eminently beauti- 
ful. They are about twenty yards in width. 
The houses being all cellared, there is gene- 
rally an ascent of a few steps to the front 
door. In the above-mentioned streets, tliese 
steps, as well as the fronts of many of (he 
houses, are of beautiful white marble. There 
are many noble edifices in the city, public 



OQ 



as well as private, built with the same ma- 
terial. 

Ill the Centre square, situate at the junc- 
tion of Hi£>'ii street and Broad street, there is 
an elegant statue of a female, with a large 
aquatic bird upon her shoulder, from the bill 
of which there spouts a stream of water to a 
considerable height. Around this, at rei^ru- 
Jar distances, are several other fountains^ 
which altogether have a beautiful effect. 

The city itself is well watered from the 
Scuylkill. l>y means of two engines which 
work alterriateh , the water is raised 98 feet 
from the bed of the river to a reservoir, 
wliichisolS feet in length, 167 in width, 
and 10:[ fec^.t deep. It contains 3,264,176 
gallons — tlie daily consumptiou of water is 
about 900.000 o-ilions. The cost of the 
works, including the pipes to the Centre 
square, was 225,000 dollars. 

This water is conveyed to the Centre 
^quai'c, a distance of nearly a mile, through 
a brick tunnel, six feet in diameter, being 
Raised by the engines to a proper level. It 



23 

is Ihei'e received into another reservoir, si- 
tuated on the highest ground of the city. 
There is a handsome circular tower 1)ui]t 
over this bashi, 60 feet in height, from wiiich, 
by another engine^ the water is sent to ever} 
part of the city. 

As the engines can, if necessary, raise 
upwards of four millions of gallons per day, 
the supply is abundantly liberal for every 
purpose. There are numbers of pumps in 
every street, for public use ; and for a small 
consideration, any one may have a hydrant 
in any part of his own house. 

There are several elegant public edifices. 
The State House, Court Houses, and Philo- 
sophers' Hall ; Hospital, Gaol, Carpenters' 
Hall, Dispensary ; the College, Theatres, 
and Banks, are all noble buildings — not to 
mention the numerous Churches and IMeet- 
ing -houses, which are found spread over the 
city. 

To give a detailed description of these 
buildings, erected as many of them are, for 
the furtherance of most benevolent views. 



§4 

upon the most enlightened policy, would, 
perhaps,, be tiresome to the reader. But T 
cannot omit taking' notice of two of the niost 
prominent — v/hether we consider them n^ 
indicative of national character, or simply 
as the means of reclaiming the vices, or im- 
proving the condition of tlie lower ranks of 
society. I allude to the Stale Prison, and 
the Hospital. The former is a spacious 
stone building in "Walnut street, fitted up 
with solitary cells, all arched. There are 
extensive yards behind it, enclosed by lofty 
walls. Offenders are not received into 
this prison until after conviction. The de- 
sign of this institution being to receive per- 
sons of this description, and, if possible, to 
reclaim them to virtue^ such means are used 
as seem best calculated to promote this hu- 
mane and desirable end. Ajf soon as the 
convict arrives at the prison, he is asked, can 
lie work at any trade? and if so, at which ? 
In this case he is conducted to that room 
where his branch of trade is carried on. 
His name is entered on the books_, and he 



25 

gels credit for the proceeds of lus lahotit; 
iU the same time, he is made debtor for the 
cxpences of his board, &c. At the end p,f 
Ills time of imprisonment, the balance, if in 
his favour, js paid intq his hands. Instances 
are not wanting where men have, by this 
means, acquired a sufficiency for the com- 
mencement of bqsiness i|pon their delivery. 
Those who are unable to work at any busi- 
i^css, ar<3 set to sowing marble. A^w^ost 
every trade is c^nicd on in this prison. All 
is industry, order and cleanliness. What a 
contrast to those disgusting scenes we mpet 
with iu English prisons ! Here, many hun- 
dreds, who, by the sanguinary la\vs of Old 
England, would have been doomisd to an ig- 
i)ominions death, are rcclaiqied, and restored 
to tlie bosom of tljejr coj^intry, as ii)di4^tnpus 
and honest citizens. 

It is well known that the unceqising eftbrts 
of WilliafB Penii and bis philanthropic Jisr 
socjatcs, led to the introduction into this 
Stale, of an ameliorated code of criminal 
Ji^vvs. Before this great design coujd be ac- 

E 



^'0 



complished, several experiments were tried 
under the direction of the legislature. The 
present system was first tried in 1790. In 
the following year, the report of the Board 
of Inspectors of the prison for the cily and 
county of Philadelphia, approved of the pro- 
posed alteration. " From the experiments 
already made/* says the report, " we have 
reason to congratulate our fellow- citizens on 
the happy reformation of the penal system. 
The prison is no longer a scene of debauch- 
ery, idleness, and prophanity — an epitome of 
human wretchedness — a seminary of crimes 
destructive to society ; but a school of re- 
formation and a place of public labour. We 
hope, by the blessing of Divine Providence, 
the community of national beings may be 
preserved, without the deplorable necessity 
of cutting off evil members by a sanguinary 
process ; of exposing them on whipping- 
posts, to the painful sympathy of the hu- 
mane, and the barbarous mockery of brutal 
mobs. This hope is confirmed by the sin- 
gular fact^ that of the many who have re- 



27 



celved the Governor's pardon^ not one lias 
been returned a convict." Thus, it appears, 
tliat little more than a year was necessary to 
demonstrate its utility. The trial, however, 
was continued until 1794, when the Legis- 
lature of Pennsylvania abolished the pun- 
ishment of death, for every crime, except 
that of premeditated murder. 

The other building is the Hospital. This 
is large and convenient, and is situated be- 
tween Pine and Spruce streets. Under- 
neath, there are cells for lunatics. There 
are spacious and airy walks within the area^ 
enclosed for the accommodation of the pati- 
ents. Fruit trees, of almost every description, 
are planted in front and around the build- 
ing. We observed some orange trees, hea- 
vily laden with fruit which was nearly ripe.. 

The streets of this city are kept remark- 
ably clean, particularly the side walks. 
From the abundance of water at the dispo- 
sal of the citizens, it is no uncommon thing 
to see streams running down the streets in 
all directions. Men are constantly employ- 



ed ill exanriniiio'the piimpsand other places 
f(yr ihe con\ie](ance of tv^ater^ and public 
seavefHg^rs ai-e kept in fall employment in 
thxi streets. 

Upon the whole, I eotild not but admim 
the plan of this city. It might perhaps be 
considered by some, a proof of finer taste to 
condemn this regularity ; but tmtil I can 
satisfy myself, that crooked streets are more 
conducive to health and convenience than 
straight ones, I will not fear to declare my 
conviction, that the plan of this cit^, as laid 
out by its great founder Wil-Uam Penn, is 
the best that could have been made. Had 
the original plan never been deviated from, 
the city would have prei^ented astiil mor<3 
handsome appearance. Water street and 
its dirty alleys, would noi have been in ex- 
istence. 

The -Subjoined report of one night's pro- 
ceedings of the Philadelphia police, may 
'be ^amusing. It is piiblislied briefly, as 'fol- 
lowis :— 



29 



1. A bladv boy, 12 years oM, found strol- 
ling ill the streets at midniglit, having' no 
home; — committed to be bound out as an 
apprentice. 

2. A black girl> iO years o\d, found in 
the streets at imidwg-kt;-^committed as a 
runaway. 

S. Two women found drunk at 1 1 o'clock 
at i^ightj were each sentenced to one month's 
imprisonment. 

4. A man was bound over to court for 
leading a mob to resist the dog-killers.* 

5. Many boys tv^re l)onnd over to court, 
for tebitually disturbing the peace at the 
'Isomers of streets during evenings. 

Wlien the watchmen meet with any 
drunken person^ or find any laying asleep 



* Ttom the pfevtileilcy of cases of Iiydrophobia in 
the summer months, it is judo^ed advisable to discourage 
the keeping of dogs. In order to do this effectually, a 
nilfnber of men are employed by the police to dispatch, 
aitd take away in a cart (which they have with them ior 
that purpose) all dogs found in the streets, hence arises 
their nanle'df 'Dc>g-killcrs, 



so 

upon tlie side walks, &c. they convey tliem 
immediately to the watch-house. The 
watcjimen receive a certain sum for each 
vaiiTant brouirht in. 

AVe had the gratification of seeing many 
of our old acquaintances in this city and 
neighbourhood. Their reports^ as to tlie 
eligibility of emigration, vary considerably. 
Perhaps the chief cause of this apparent in- 
consistency may be, that almost every man is 
apt to form an opinion of it, with reference 
only to his own particular circumstances. 
Thus, if he succeeds in his expectations, he 
may possibly give the country some little cre- 
dit for it; if not, it is, of course, a poor place. 
He is perhaps unable to take a general view of 
the state of things any further than the ho- 
rizon of his own business ; and, to warp his 
judgment, he will probably over-rate the pri- 
vileges which he may have left behind him- 
One great cause of disappointment arises 
fiom the ignorance which prevails amongst 
emigrants respecting the real state of this 
country. They arrive, for the most part^ 



31 

widi extra vag'ant expectations of fiiuliiig, 
not merely the necessaries, but even the su- 
perfluities of life poured into (heir laps by 
the ^' enchantress Liberty,'* without any ex- 
ertion on their part. But^ alas ! the g'enerai 
malediction extends to the descendants of 
fallen Adam here, as well as in Europe, and 
they generally find that ''in the sweat of 
their face shall they eat bread." 

Boarding is a shade lower here than at 
New York. Mechanics pay about three 
dollars or 13s. 6d. per week, and live well. 

Mechanics, and what are simply called 
labourers, work from sun rise to sun set, 
summer and winter ; but it will be remem- 
bered, that a summer's day in a lat. of 40, is 
considerably shorter, and their winter's day 
longer than those in the lat. 54. For in- 
stance, the longest day at Philadelphia is 
only 14h. 50m., and the shortest 9h. 10m., 
while the same days in the North of Eng- 
land would be 17, and 7 hours, respectively. 

A cabinet-maker has here about 405. 
sterling per week ; a blacksmith from 30 to 



36s. ; a weaver may, on an average^ make 
about 27s, per week. 

This city is in considerable repute for its 
manufactories. The art of printing* cottons 
has been carried to *^reat perfection. Great 
quantities of canvass, sail cloth, and coarse 
linens are made in the vicinit}-. From a 
friend of mine, a printer, 1 learned that this 
art is carried to great perfection, and tbe 
wages to superior work men very good. But 
every branch of trade is so overstocked at 
Philadelphia, that the stranger who arrives 
here in quest of employment^ will meet with 
little encouragement, especially if it is uu- 
derstood he has little or no money, which is 
too often the case with emigrants; the con- 
hcquence is, that great numbers, as soon as 
they land, instead of pushing forwards into 
the interior, (where employment might be 
iiad,) give way to the feelings of the moment, 
and are solicitous only to obtain a passage 
home again. There appears to be a gene- 
ral stagnation of trade at present, which, 
however, 1 am inclined to think, will not last 



33 

vor\ long. The evil is progressing; (to use 
ail American word) towards amendment, as 
soon as felt, under a popular government. 

Jmie 16. — We visited a countryman of 
ours, who is empl<^yed as manager of an es- 
tate in tlie suburbs He informed us that 
his salary is 80 guineas per annum, exclu- 
sive of a dwelling-house rent free, and other 
privileges. The soil here is light, and the 
subsoil a pale yellow sand; nevertheless^ 
llie crops are very good, Mr. T. is endea- 
vouring to raise a live fence, which appears 
to thrive very well, and will be a great im- 
provement. They seldom sell their wheat, 
we are informed, from this farm, under two 
dollars or 9s. sterling per Win. bushel. 
Their ploughs and harrows are the most ri- 
diculous looking things imaginable. 

About a mile distant from the last men- 
tioned place, we found another Westmorland 
farmer, Mr. C, who shares a small farm of 
tolerably good land, upon which he keeps a- 
bout 15 milch cows, with the produce of which 
he suppliqs the citizens at the rate of eight 



o 



i 



centSj or about foiirpeiice per quart. These 
men appear to liave made an advantageoiis 
change of countries — are comfortably situ- 
ated, and doing very well. 

A ":ood milch cow may cost here about 
two-thirds of the AV^estniorland price. — 
Horses a little higher. A very good double 
waggon may be had for 100 dollars. 

During my stay in Philadelphia, I had an 
offer of a quarter section or 160 acres of 
land, in the Illinois, at the distance of seven 
n)iles from the Mississipi, for §60 dollars, or 
131. \0s. sterling. The title was indisputable. 

The peninsula, between the IMississipi and 
Illinois rivers, where the property is situ- 
ated, has been surveyed as soldiers' bounty 
lands. The Act of Congress^ granting those 
lands as bounty to the soldiers enlisted into 
the army of the United States, expressly 
provides that the several portions to he 
granted under that act, shall be fit for cid- 
livation. 

The title of all the lands sold by the ge- 
imnil Government, is so good thai litigation. 



35 

iiiisiiig* from disputed (ities, must be very 
rare. The mode of surveying the public 
lauds has also a tendency to simphfy the 
domarkatioii between individual proprie- 
tors, and renders certain, what^ in many 
other countries, and even in parts of the 
United States, is the fruitful source of ani- 
mosity and lei^al disquisition. To know 
and appreciate the full value of government 
tiiies in America, it is only necessary to con- 
trast the history of land-titles in Pennsylvania 
aiid Kentucky with that of the western coun- 
tries. 

French brandy is sold here for 6s. sterling 
per gallon, gin 4s. 6d. whisky Is. Gd., &c., 
so (iiat, as Cobbett expresses it^ "a person 
may (hink himself blind for the price of six- 
})ence." An immense quantity of rum^ 
which is distilled in almost every quarter of 
the Union, but more particularly, I am in- 
formed, in New England, is consumed by 
the lower orders of the people. Tlie low 
price at which this fiery liquid is retailed in 
the grog shops^ (about threepence the half- 



36 

pint) is here productive of bad consequences. 
Notwithstanding this, it is observed tbattiie 
Americans deserve better the appeiiution ot" 
tiplers than that of drunkards. 

13. Having seen much in some modern 
publications respecting the behaviour of the 
people of colour at their places of worship, 
I embraced an opportunity of attending a 
Methodist church in the evenino;. The 
building was tolerably large, and might 
contain about two thousand persons. The 
preacher who, as well as the whole congre- 
gation^ (with the excej)tion of a relation 
of mine, my fellow-traveller, and myself,) 
was a descendant of Ham, displayed con- 
siderable ability in his discourse, and hand- 
led a very difficult subject (Romans, 8, 19,) 
with a skill and eloquence rarely surpassed 
by preachers of the first education. The 
congregation, w ith the exception of two or 
three individuals, w^as orderly and attentive ; 
and, 1 confess, I was agreeably disappointed 
to find, that, although they generally dis- 
played a considerable degree of fervour^ 



37 

particularly in singing, yet all that seream- 
ing" and JLunping, which, from tiie accounts 
I had seen, I might reasonahly have expect- 
ed to meet with here, dwindled into a few 
hearty Aniens. 

The Methodists are very numerous, and 
are increasing- rapidly. The number of 
members under the care of the several con- 
ferences in the United Slates of America, 
as stated in their minutes for 1818, was 
229,627, exclusive of 789 itinerant preach- 
ers.* 



* At the Conference held in 1810, it was found there 
had been an increase of 11,297. since the last Conference 
in 1818 ; and it has been ascertained at the Conference 
held this year (1820), that the number of members in 
the United vSocieties of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
was about 258,000, being an increase of 18,000 daring 
the last twelve months Of this number about one-Hfch 
are coloured and blacks. During the last ten years this 
body has gained an addition in the United States of about 
100,000 members ! Ministers of tl'is persuasion are 
very frequently appointed to preach before the Congress 
assembled at Washington, sometimes to the exclusion 
of every other;, during the sitting. 



oo 



8 



CHAPTER IT. 

Brmnhncbie — Lancaster — Borden- Town — 

Ami) 01/, S£c. 

Jui>e 17. 

Left Pliiladdpliia for Lancaster, on the 
PitKs])urg' road. On onr egress from the 
city \Ye passed the Sony Ik ill over tlie wooden 
bridge, which is 1200 feet long and 42 broad. 
Iliis was ])uilt about six years ago, and cost 
275,000 doHars. A litfle hisfiier nn we oh- 
served anotlier bridge thrown over this no- 
b!e river, which had only one arc]i. 

Tlie {'ace of (he country for some miles 
presents an nnpleasant sameness, 'I'he soil 
is gcneruliy iiglit, ^nd the subsoil apj)arent- 
ly a mixture of bright vellow sand and clay. 
About Downing- Town, and throuiirh the 
Brandywine valley the country assumes u 
di lie rent and far more pleasing aspect., — ► 



Sd 

fhr soil strong' and the crops heavy. At the 
former place, which is a very pleasant little 
town, about thirty-three miles w^est of Phi- 
ladelphia, we met with an intelligent and 
friendly g'entleman, who, in answer to onr 
enquiries concerning some beaiitiful farms 
in the vicinity, assured us that these lands, 
which, two years ago, might probably have 
been sold for 45Z. an acre, would not, now, 
sell for half that price. 

Towards Lancaster the landscape grows 
more beautiful, and here I must say, that 
much as I had heard and read of the beauty 
of this country^ my expectations fell far short 
of the reality. JMuch of the ground adjacent 
to the road is cleared, and divided into fine 
large farms. 1\*ue, the stumps of the trees 
which have been recently cut down, are re- 
maining ; but their duration in this soil must 
be short. In the course of a very few years, 
not one of these stumps will remain to of- 
fend the sight, or retard the labours, of the 
ag-ricnllurist. 



40 



To complete llie scene, neat fyrai bouses, 
painted and piazzaed, appear scattered \n 
every direction. Their barns are very 
large and commodions, often bnilt of stone, 
and in many instances, \vbcn this is tbecase, 
liave stabling', &c., nnderneath, with a cat- 
tle-yard in front. Every tiling looks com- 
fortable, and if ease and prosperity could 
confer happiness, the farmer miglit here en- 
joy it. The landscaj)e is at this season 
beautiful in the extreme,^ — the fields are full 
of plenty, and all nature is dressed in her 
best, if not her gayest, attire. The woods 
have a different appearance from any we 
have yet seen. The trees are lofty, and 
there is seldom any brushy underwood, so 
that the grass grows freely amongst them, 
and the cattle find an agreeable shelter from 
the heat of the sun. It is perhaps worthy 
of remark, that the grass and white clover 
which grow under the trees^ are not rejected 
by them here, as they would be in a colder 
climate. 



41 



There Is, however, one drawback, — viz. 
the awkward worm fences. Although the 
white thorn is a native of America, yet the 
fences are still formed of rough rails, laid in 
a zigzag direction^ without posts, except in 
the vicinity of the cities, or, in some in- 
stances, adjoining the road. The high price 
of wood, which increases in inverse propor- 
tion to the quantity left standing in the 
country, will tend to discourage the folio w« 
ers of the crooked plan, and to bring into 
more general use the adoption of the neat, 
as well as more durable, post and rail. The 
thorn hedge may, very probably, by the 
operation of the same cause, receive encou- 
ragement. We observed one field on the 
banks of the Conestoga, surrounded by a 
flourishing quickset fence; it is perhaps 
needless to add, that the comparison is very 
much in favour of the live fence, whether it 
is made with respect to the neatness, useful- 
ness, or the economy of the plan, 

Lancaster, — This place, the capital of 
tlie county of the same name,, has long been 

G 



42 



counted the greatest inland town in tlie 
United States. I am, liowever, inclined to 
think that it must very soon give np its claim 
to this distinction. This, like ahiiost all the 
American towns, is formed upon a regular 
plan, the streets intersecting each other at 
right angles. An eleg*ant Court House has 
been erected in the centre of the four prin- 
cipal streets. The republican sons of Free- 
dom,, in their rage against monarchy and 
aristocracy, have abolished the names of 
many of their streets, and substituted others 
more consonant to their democratic notions, 
as Liberty, Washington, Franklin streets, 
&c.^ instead of King, Queen, Duke street, 
&c. At Lancaster, however, the whole 
Royal family have survived (he wreck. This 
is perhaps, in some degree accounted for, 
by the circumstance of the people liere, and 
in the neighbourhood, being Dutch or An- 
glo-Dutch. These Dutch-Americans have 
the character of sober, industrious, and ho- 
nest people; and, what in my opinion is a 
proof of their wisdom^ are slow in forming 



43 

attarlinients, but faithful to them wlien they 
arc formed. All public business is transact- 
ed ill the English language, throughout the 
Union. 

IS — ^22. — We have had some very plea- 
sant rambles into th6 neighbouring country, 
in which we were gerierally accompanied by 
aclergyman of our acquaintance, and a 
farmer. We found the land, generally 
speaking, to be of a g'ood strong quality, 
but indifferently cultivated. The process 
of cultivation, or mode of agriculture/ may, 
with little deviation, be stated -as follows. 
Having ploughed iip their lea or green 
sward, and harrowed it well, the ground is 
generally planted with Indian corn, about 
the middle of May. The produce varies 
(according to the nature of the soil and cli- 
mate) from ten, to upwards of one hundred 
bushels per acre. Perhaps at Lancaster, 
fifty or sixty may be called an average quan- 
tity; and half a dollar not more than an 
average price. When the ground is stitch- 
ed up and marked out, the planter puts in 



44 

from four to seven i^raitis of corn, and a 
pumpkin seed (generally) into eneli hill, of 
"^Thich there may he two tiionsand in an 
acre. In two or three weeks, the plants 
make their appearance, when a plough is 
run between each row, in order to raise (he 
soil round the plant. Previously to this, 
some farmers scatter a little manure or plas- 
ter of Paris about the roots, as the condition 
of the ground may require. The next pro- 
cess is hand-hoeing. Then the top (having 
sprung to the height of from seven to ten 
feet) is cut off at about two- thirds of its 
height, and furnishes a large sup])ly of ex- 
cellent fodder. From each stalk, whicli 
grows like a cane^ and is usually about an 
inch in diameter, there springs out, one, 
two^ or three ears or cohs, each near a foot 
long". These stalks are not cut down in 
reaping — the cobs only being taken off with 
proper instruments, and deposited in corn 
cribs, which are houses built on purpose for 
their reception. The general time for reap- 
ing this, is in October. 



45 

Indian corn^ or corn, as tlic Americans 
call it^ by way of eminence (wheat, l^arley, 
rye, and oats being confounded under the 
title o^ grain) is made use of in a variety of 
ways. It is preferable to oats in many res- 
pects, particularly in feeding' hogs. It is 
ground into meal, and distilled into whisky. 
The Indians are said to have thirty-seven 
different methods of cookinii: it. 

The next season, the stalks beino- i>ather- 
ed oflf, the same ground is sometimes, but 
very rarely, sown with oats. This crop is 
not considered valuable, the husk being sel- 
dom well filled. The superior value of In- 
dian corn, for almost every purpose to which 
oats are applicable, renders the cultivation 
of this grain of minor importance. With 
proper attention and care in the choice of 
seed, it might be brought to succeed better. 

If oats are not sown, some little manure 
is laid upon the ground, and it is sown with 
wheat — then with rye, when it is laid down 
with timothy and clover. When the wheat 
succeeds to the corn^ it is sown in the fall. 



46 

the land having been ploughed over once 
or twice^ between the time of reaping 
and that of sowing, in" the following year. 
From twenty-five to thirty bushels per acre 
^Vin. is counted au average crop of wheat. 
The price of this article varies from three, 
to sixshilHngs per bushel. Generally speak- 
ing, a dollar may be called the average 
price. 

Potatoes. — These appear to be only in 
partial use. They are planted, in most in^ 
stances, as the first crop after grass. rierCj, 
the soil seems too stiff for this root. 

It must not be imagined, that, in order to 
procure these crops, the farmer here bestows 
that la])ourand attention, which an agricul- 
turist in the old country would deem it ne- 
cessary to use. They allow (for it would be 
folly to deny it) tiiat the soil might produce 
jnore; but argue, that the expence of the 
udditional labour, would counterbalance the 
value of the additional increase ; and, there- 
iore, they contend, they can see no good 
reason tor departing from the track which 



47 

their forefathers marked out. This conclu- 
sion may he a prudent one^ but I have my 
suspicions^ that the ori<^iii of these cautious 
remarks may be traced to that habitual want 
of entcrprize, for which the Dutch settlers 
are remarkable. 

Many farms are held in shares, i. e. tlic 
produce is shared or divided in certain pro-. 
portions, between the owner and the occu- 
pier. The crop is generally equally divi- 
ded, the landlord receivin<^ a moiety as rent, 
the farmer the other half, as a remuneration 
for labour and skill. In some instances, the 
owner finds the whole, or a certain propor- 
tion of stock, gear, &c. &c. ; in others, where 
the situation is peculiarly convenient, or the 
farm in other respects very valuable, the 
farmer finds the whole. This was the case 
at a farm, which, at the request of the owner, 
we visited. It lays one mile from the city, 
t)\^ the Pittsbur": road. It consists of one 
hundred acres of excellent land,, cleared 
and properly fenced. The buildings, which 
are extensive, and very conveniently situ- 



48 

ated by tlie side of the load, which riins 
through the middle of the estate, are all of 
I)rick. The dwolliiig-house is three stories 
high : the orchard contains several acres, and 
is well stocked witli fruit trees in excellent 
order ; it is, moreover, at tliis tinie^ covered 
with a heavy crop of wheat, which apparent- 
ly suff'ers no injury from the trees- — such is 
the power of the s;in in this climate The 
proprietor informed us^ that he gave £26 per 
acre^ buildings included, for this estate. 

The produce of the dairy is not so valu- 
able as might be imagined, in this city and 
vicinity. The poorer class of citizens are 
allowed the privilege of pasturage for their 
cows in the woods, which bein^, as before 
ol)served, generallv composed of lofty tim- 
ber without much brushwood, the ground is 
covered with herbage. Hay, for the win- 
terage/is procured as the price of labour, at 
a con^paratively low rate. Some farmers in 
the neighbourhood, supj)ly their labourers 
with a hut, allow^ tliem to keep pigs and 
poultry, give them mainlenance for a cow. 



49 

and two sliiillngs and llireepence per day 
tl]rou<i,"liout tiie year. Tlie general rate of 
wases for the a^cricuUiiral labourer here, is 
in time of harvest 4s. 6rf. per day, with vic- 
tuals, and as much whisky as he will drink ; 
at other times, the regular price is one-half 
less. N. B. It is expected that wages will 
be lowered a little during the pressure occa- 
sioned by the present stagnation in trade. 

The crops are very heavy ; more could 
not, apparently, stand or grow. Timothy 
and clover succeed very vs^ell : of the latter, 
two crops are^ for the most part, cut in one 
season, — the former about midsummer, the 
latter in the fall (autumn). The hay-harvest 
is now commenced. From the heat and 
dryness of the weatiier, the farmer has very 
little trouble or anxiety about getting in his 
crop. 

Butter is now selling in the market at 
^\(L sterling per lb. A shoemaker, who had 
left Westmorland a year or two before us, 
informed us that he had 4s. a pair for making 
shoes. From a Bristol tailor, who also left 

H 



50 

his native pkee a few years ago^ we learned 
that the common price for making' a coat 
\vas six dollars, or 21s. He shewed us a 
bombazett siirtout, which he had sold for a 
barrel and a half or twenty-one stone of 
flour. These stuifs are worn here dnrino^ 
the hot weather^ and are bought for little 
more than the English price, although they 
pay an ad valorem import duty of 15 per 
cent, in American^ and \6^ in British bot- 
toms. 

There are in this city no less than seven 
or eight churches^ belonging to as many dif- 
ferent sects of professing christians. The 
Lutheran is here considered the most re- 
spectable, and is consequently the fashion- 
able religion, — for fashion is a syren here, 
as well as in the old country. The clergy 
are generally supported by subscription. 
When the salary offered is not considered 
sufficient for the maintenance of a minister, 
he officiates at two or more diiflerent places 
alternately. They are, I believe, generally 
speaking, a respectable body of men ; at aiiy 



51 



rate, ns Iheir support depends upon the good- 
Avi!l of tlieir parishioners or hearers, they 
live circumspect in their outward deport- 
ment ; and (the great cause of htigation be- 
tween Eni;llsh pastors and their flocks being 
wanting here) live upon good terms with 
them. As a proof of this, they are liberally 
supported by their respective congregations 
— I say respective, because here, there is no 
Constitutional Established Church, — no bo- 
dy of men who assume to themselves the ex- 
clusive privilege of framing creeds for others 
and it would be hazarding something to as- 
sert that the interests of religion are injured 
by the want of them. In the first article of 
the amendments to the Constitution, it is 
enacted, that ''Congress shall make no law 
res])ecting an establishment of religion^ or 
prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'' 

As a striking proof of liberality of senti- 
ment, I notice the conduct of 'Mhe Friends," 
in this place, towards the Rev John Elliott^ 
of the Methodist persuasion. That gentle- 
man not being permitted, for reasons not 



52 



discreditable to himself, to ofiiciute in the 
Methodists' church ; and tlie place which 
he had en^ai»ed being- too confiiied, was of- 
fered the use of a considerable portion of 
their meeting-house. It is almost needless 
to say, the offer was accepted. The place 
was fitted up; and, on the sabbath evening, 
we had the satisfaction of seeing it filled by 
a congregation of the first respectability. 

Nothing- has hitherto struck us more 
forcibly, than a certain apparent independ- 
ence, which every American carries about 
with him. It does not seem to be derived 
so much from mere assurance, as from the 
idea, that every citizen is upon terms of 
equality with his fellows, and ecpially eli- 
gible to any office of trust or emolument. 
There are here no hereditary titles to dis- 
tinction, nor ever can be whilst the present 
constitution is acted upon. It is a part of 
the constitution of many of the States, that 
''if any citizen shall accept, claim, receive, 
or retain any title of nobility or honour, or 
shall^ without the consent of Congress^ ac- 



cept and retain any present, pension, office, 
or emolument of any kind whatever, from 
any Emperor, King, Prince, or foreign 
power, such person shall cease to be a citi- 
zen of the United States, and shall be inca- 
pable of holding any office of trust or profit 
under them, or either of them." 

Whatever place of trust, or honour, a man 
may hold ; or however easy his circumstan- 
ces in life muy be; lie can only secure re- 
spect by acting honourably, and by showing 
that respect to otbers, which he wi-dies other 
to show to him. Should 1 find cause to can- 
cel these observations on the American 
character, in any subsequent intercourse 
with tbem, 1 shall do it. In the mean time, 
by way of proof, that merit, not wealth and 
patrician greatness, is t!ie surest recommend- 
ation to places of trust, I sball just remark, 
that nearly all, if not the whole of the ma- 
gistrates of this city, have, at some period 
of their lives, been mechanics; and they 
are not the less respected because they owe 
their present elevation and [)rosperity to the 



s 



54 

blessing' of God upon iheir own personal ex- 
ertions. The colonel of their militia is noio 
a blacksniith^ and the captain a nailsmith. 
The fatlier of the prothonotary, which is a 
]}lacc of great trust under the Slate Govern- 
ment, was once a schoolmaster in Pliiladel- 
phia. In the revolutionary war he rose to 
the rank of genera!, and finally was appoint- 
ed surveyor-genera! to the State. His son, 
1\\y. l^orter, above allu.led to, and to whom 
1 am indebted for much information^ has 
IGO^GCO acres of land, in various pans of 
West Pennsylvania and New Yoik, in 
tracts of dilTerent dimensions, g'eneral'y rich, 
and heavily timbered, butsituated in a coun- 
try not well settled. A new State road^ 
wliich is now progressing through this tract 
of coinitiy, will aid in promoting (he increase 
of settlers, and, cui^sequejitly, the value of 
lauds in its vicinity. Auotlier instance of 
bucceshful industry in a Mr. Hulmes This 
old gentleman, who was an Irish emigrant, 
and a chair-maker by trade, has, by the uni- 
on of iiulustry and ability, not only secured 



55 



to himself an easy competency, but lias «;iv- 
eri to every one of his sons an independent 
fortune in liis own life time. They, never- 
theless, are all engaged in business. 1 liad 
the pleasure of being- introduced to two of 
them; — the one, the most eminent ph.ysician 
ia the place; the oilier, who was high she- 
riff three years, (being as long as the law 
would permit,) has a manufactory upon the 
hanks of the Conestoga, near this place. The 
last- mentioned gentleman owns 20,000 
acres, situated between Pittsburg and Erie, 
not one of which he has seen. Had we 
wished to have purchased woodland, w^e 
might have laid out a capital, perhaps 
to advantage here, for a lot of 5,000 acres, 
forming part of the above-mentioned pro- 
perty, in Venango county, Richland town- 
ship, at the distance of six or seven miles 
from the navigable river Allegany. Tlie 
land is heavily timbered, which is a proof 
of goodness of soil, and has some mill-seats 
upon it. A thousand guineas would have 
done much towards purchasing diis tract. 



56 

They lia^e a strange method of sellin^r- 
liorses at this place. The auctioneer, who 
can speak both the Dutch and English lan- 
<rnao:es, as circumstances may render neces- 
sarv, mounted upon the animal, rides into 
every quarter of the town, proclaiming as he 
g-oes along, the price he has had offered. 
It may frecpientlv happen, that he has to ride 
many miles during the selling of each ani- 
mal. 

I observed some Tunkers occasionally at 
the market at this j)lace These are a religi- 
ous sect, founded by a Germnn, who, going 
a dogiee fm'ther than Rapp, has enjoined 
that the women shmdd never associate with 
the n\en excej)t for public purposes. They 
deny the doctrine of original sin and eternal 
punishment, but allow of purgatory and a 
state of reward and punishment. 

Their beards, which they wear uncut» 
ti\u] which, in some instances, reach down to 
the waist, give them a venerable appear- 
ance They are represented as being ab- 



57 

stemioiis in their diet, and exemplary m 
Iheir private conduct. 

The Mennonists, a sect founded likewise 
by a German, are numerous in this neigh- 
bourhood. They also wear their beards 
]ong. 

During' our stay here, we did not observe 
the least vestige of poverty, except in the 
invalids at the poor-house. At this place, 
which is a large and convenient building, 
situated about a mile from the city, upon an 
estate, to cultivate which gives employment 
to the inmates, we saw none but real ob- 
jects of charity, unless it be thought that two 
unfortunate females are exceptions to this 
general remark. With the exception of 
tliese, the inmates are blind, very old, de- 
crepid or subject to fits. There are also 
two or three little children. I looked in 
vain for some of those objects which argue 
the disorganized state of things in my na- 
tive country. I saw no men and women as 
able to work, as many of those who are ob- 
liged to contribute to their maintenance. 



5S 

The poor-rates here are, therefore, trifling ; 
and taxes of all kinds are in much the same 
proportion, the heaviest being- for the im- 
provement of their country, in roads, public 
buildings, court-houses, &c. &c. 

There are in the vicinity of this place, as 
well as at a distance from it, towards Colum- 
bia^ Harrisburg, Reading, &c., many good 
farms offered for sale. From the operation 
of various causes, there are great quantities of 
land in the market ; and the terms are lower 
than they have been for some time. Very 
fine farms may be had in the neighbourhood 
of these places^ for about £9 sterling per 
acre, buildings included. 

Lancaster is noted for the peculiar excel- 
lency of the rifles manufactured in it. As 
a proof of this, and of the murderous skill 
of the riflemen in this country, one man 
lately fired a ball through a dollar at the 
distance of one hundred yards. This I had 
from a countryman, who was an eye wit- 
ness of the transaction. 



59 

We had intended to push forward down 
the Ohio to the Illinois, but two reasons 
operated sufficiently powerful upon our 
minds to induce us to alter our plans. First, 
it is almost impracticable, and extremely 
dangerous to the health of the adventurers, 
to descend in the warm season. Secondly, 
reports run very high against the eligibility 
of pushing into the desert wilds. Labour 
is much higher than in the Eastern States, 
and the value of produce considerably less. 
Some men, who have visited the western 
country from this neighbourhood, have re- 
turned and settled here, preferring a regular 
market and good society, to all the reputed 
enjoyments and privileges of the western 
farmer. Acting under these impressions, 
we have determined to explore West New 
York, commonly called the Genessee coun- 
try; part of Upper Canada, and North 
Pennsylvania. And then, as circumstances 
may fall out, push southward and westward, 
or return to the east. 



60 

Jiine 22. — Returned to Philadelpliia. — 
This day we went on board a vessel in the 
river, to welcome the arrival of about one 
hundred and sixty emigrants from Holland. 
They are bound towards the Illinois, and 
carry a considerable property along with 
them. 

Great confusion in the banking system 
prevails throughout the Union. 'Institutions 
have been suffered to multiply, until almo^^t 
every village has its bank. They are, with 
few exceptions, incorporated, and have, 
therefore, a fixed capital. The difference 
between the chartered and non-chartered 
banks is simply this,— the capital of the 
former, which is a fixed sura, is divided into 
shares. Each stockholder may have as ma- 
ny as he thinks proper; only, he is respon- 
sible to the community for the debts of the 
bank, in the proportion that the aggregate 
of his stock bears to the amount of the ca- 
pital registered Consequently, in case oi 
failure, having advanced the amount of his 
share^ his private property is secure, — 



61 

none of the creditors of the bank can touch 

it. 

In the latter class, viz. unchartered, the 

amount of the capita] is not known ; but, as 
is the case, with some few exceptions, in 
Great Britain, the credit of the institution 
rests upon that of the proprietor, or upon 
the responsibihty of the individuals com- 
posing the partnership; — their joint pro- 
pertV;, personal and real, being in fact tlie 
bank stock. 

The directors of the chartered banks are 
re-appointed or changed every year; and a 
dividend of profits made every six months. 

At Philadelphia, the bank note exchange 
on the 14th of June was as follows : — 

United States Bank notes discount 1 per cent. 
Boston notes - «• - 1 to 2 

New Yorfe State notes, generally 3 1-2 

PENNSYLVANIA, 

Lancaster Bank notes, - - 3 
Little York, Gettysberg, Chambers-^ 
berg, Carlisle, Svvatara, and North- > 5 
berland, - - . - 3 

. Heading, * * - ; 6 



62 



Silver Lake, - . . - 7 per cent. 

i\>rricultural and Manufac-> r, 

^ • • ] n r } > 8 to 10 

turing Dank, Carlisle, ^ 

Greencastle, - - - _ 30 

Marietta, Jiinietta, - - 40 

Union Bank and Beaver, - oO 

All other incorporated banks) 

in Pennsylvania - . ^ i5 to 30 



DELAWARE, 

Commercial Bank of Delaware, 7 

Bank at Milford, - - 8 to 9 

Wilmington and Brandywine 10 

Laurel bank !. - - 25 



MARYLAXD. 

Baltimore, - - - . 2 

Havre de Grace, Annapolis & branches 5 
Baltimore City bank, - - 20 

Snow Hill, Somerset, ^nd Worcester 4-0 
Eikton & Cumberland bank, Allegany 50 
Princessan, . . not taken 

District of Columbia, jrenerally, 2 L2 

Mechanics* bank of Alexandria, 10 

Franklin do. . - - 50 

Virginia, Farmers bank and branch 5 to 7 
Virginia unchartered bank notes, 10 to l2 

&c. &c. 



1( will be observed, that the above is on- 
ly the general state of the currency at Phi- 
ladelphia. At all the other places mention- 



63 



ex\ in the list, the respective values will vary. 
Such being the state of things, foreigners, 
or men unacquainted with these matters, 
are liable to great inconveniencies and 
heavy losses. Surely the legislature of the 
several Slates will take the matter into con- 
sideration ; and put a stop to a speculation, 
alike disgraceful in its nature, and ruinous 
in its effects. That of Pennsylvania has set 
an example, by passing a law, that every 
bank in that State, which shall not on the 
1st of August have resumed cash payments, 
shall be considered as having forfeited its 
charter. It is supposed that very few, if 
any, of the forty-two banks last chartered 
will survive the dog-days ! 

June 23. — Left Philadelphia for New 
York, by way of Borden Town and South 
Amboy, in New Jersey. 

We had a pleasant passage up the Dela^ 
ware in the steam packet. The face of the 
country on the Pennsylvanian shore is tole- 
rably pleasing, being diversified and orna- 
mented with neat country seats, but the soil 



64 

IS generally of inferior qualify. On the 
Jersey shore the prospect is worse, in every 
respect. The soit seems light and poor, 
but we observed some wheat and rye nearly 
ripe. 

We put in at Burlington, which is a town 
of considerable size and note, about twentv 
miles above Philadelphia. From the con- 
venience of the port and the situation of the 
town, it might be expected to rise to consi- 
derable importance, but it is too near Phila- 
delphia to admit of any considerable increase. 
The breadth of the river is not more than a 
mile here. The predilection for the Lom- 
bardy poplar is seen at almost every step ; — 
it is an appendage to every gentleman's 
seat, and adorns the streets of almost every 
town. 

Bristol, on the opposite shore, is a pretty 
large thriving town. 

Borden -Town i 'New Jersey. — Here 
we landed. This place is famous, as being 
the residence of Joseph Bonaparte, the ex- 
king of Spain. His mansion, which is situ- 



65 

filed a liUle above the town, and commanJs 
a noble view of the river and adjacent conn- 
try^ has a princely appearance; but it is 
surrounded by land of vety inferior quality. 
His property is said to be immense. Here 
nine of us g-ot into a veliicle, which, byway 
of compbuient, is called a stage coach, and 
in which we were dragged by two horses to 
South Aniboy^ a distance of more than thirty 
miles. 

With some trifling exceptions, the land 
in our tract across this part of Jersey is of a 
very poor quality, — so poor, that it has been 
compared with the sandy deserts of Arabia. 
And yet I know a man, who emigrated ta 
America, who took tin's land, which happen- 
ed to lie in the steam boat route to Philadel* 
phia, for a specimen of the country in gene^ 
ral, and returned to England immediately 
witji a report that there was none good in 
all America ; and, what is perhaps stiil more 
strange, the man's judgment was by great 
numbers, never called in question. 



66 

An acquaintance of mine, avIio lives near 
(he sea coast in this State^ and who is now 
about to return to Enirland for his wife and 
family^ reports very favourably of his pros- 
pects. He arrived here about a year ago, 
and following his business as a joiner, made 
(to use his own expression) '' plenty of mo- 
ney." He is now in treaty for the purchase 
of an estate, thinking that a fariner's life is 
preferable to all others in this country. 

In the evening we were visited by a tre- 
mendous thunder storm, which rattled with 
awful peals over our heads, accompanied by 
a deluging rain. 

We crossed the South river in a ferry- 
boat. It is here about eighty yards wide, 
and about fifteen feet deep. Without leav- 
ing his box, or suffering one of us to leave 
our seats, our coachman drove his horses 
into the boat. As soon as we were all fairly 
embarked, the ferryman pushed his vehicle 
and her cargo from the shore, and guiding 
it by a long pole, which reached the bottom 
of the river, conducted us safely across. 



67 

The roads were rendered almost impas- 
Sti])le by the rains, which fell in torrents du- 
riiis: the storm. The wheels of the vehicle 
sunk almost to the axletree in the sand, and, 
to add to our mortification, the stage broke 
down. We were, in consequence, benight- 
ed in the woods, and two-thirds of us, from 
the heaviness and unevenness of the road, 
obliged to travel a considerable part of the 
way on foot. The tedium of our journey, 
was, however, considerably alleviated by the 
j)laintiYe tones of the "Whip-poor-will,'* 
which 1 heard, for the first time, in these 
forests. 

At length, the appearance of a light an- 
nounced to us that we were approaching 
some place of shelter ; and, emerging from 
the woods, we arrived at South Amboy, 

From the celebrity of this place, I expect- 
ed to find a town of no inconsiderable magni- 
tude. There is only one house ; and that 
house a tavern. The situation of this house, 
on the banks of the Raritan, upon which 
vessels are constantly running, in alldirec- 



GS 

lions, is deliglitfiil. We have Iranied an- 
other lesson of independence of spirit on 
the part of tiiese American hmdlords, being 
sent to bed supperless, because no more 
tlian three of our party were hun<^ry. Our 
host would not alk)\v his servants to be at 
the trouble of cooking, for such a trifle as 
three half-dollars. 

On the opposite side of the river (Rarita^ 
on a neck of land between the Sound and 
the river, stands Perth Am boy. This place,, 
though pleasantly situated, and laying open 
to Sandy Hook, from which vessels may 
come in one tide in any weather, and pos- 
sessing one of the best harbours in all North 
America, is not, nor does it seem likely to 
become, a place of any considerable trade. 
In addition to its natural advantages, several 
extraordinary privileges have been offered 
by the legislature to merchants settling here 
and at Burlington. But the people having 
long been accustomed to send their produce 
to the markets of Philadelphia and New 
York, and, of course^ having their corres- 



pendencies established^ it is a difficult mat- 
ter to turn their trade out of the old chan- 
nel. 

Jw?2e 24. — Had a delightful passage up 
the Sound, which divides Jersey from Stateii 
Island. The situation of its banks is in 
many places too low for the purposes of 
cultivation, being sometimes, in high tides, 
covered with water to a considerable depth, 
— hence called Salt Meadows. In such 
places the stacks of hay are erected upon 
wooden piles, which are made of sufficient 
length to preserve them from the influence 
of the tides. 







CHAPTER III. 

Alhcnui — Schoharie — Carlisle — Cherri/ Val- 
ley — Bridgrwater — Madisoti — Morris' 
Flatts — Cazenovia — MaiiUiis — jiuburn 
— Scipio, 

June 26. 

Having accompli^shed the business ^yliich 
brought lis to New York, we set off for Al- 
bnny. The s(?encry iip ^he Hudsou is pe- 
culiarly bold aud striking — the rocky banks 
of the river generally rising ahnost perpen- 
dicular to (he heiuiit of from 100 to SW 
feet. These are, nevertheless, generally 
covered with trees to within a few yards of 
the suunnit, which is mostly "rude, barren, 
and bare." Even the Catskill mountains, 
said to be upwards of 3000 feet elevated 
above the level of the sea, are covered with 
tindjcr. From the numerous windiniis of 



71 

this noble river, the scenes are contiinirJIv' 
varying. Atone time the eye is raised witli 
astonishment towards the tremendous cliHs 
where the eagle soars with majestic fliglit, — 
in a moment tl^e scene changes; and a beau- 
tiful landscape appears in view — r 

** Ever charming, ever new, 

When will tlie landscape tire the view ? 

The fountains fall, the rivers flow 

The woody vallies warm and low ; 

The windy summit, wild and high, 

Roughly rushing on the sky ; 

The town and village, dome and farm," 

Each gives each a double charm." 

The bed of this river is deep and smooth 
to a great distance, through a hilly, rocky' 
country, and even through ridges of some 
of the highest mountains in the United 
States. Ft has been remarked that the Hud- 
son is the only river in the United States, 
through which the ocean tides are carried 
over the primitive and transition formations, 
16 the border of the western secondary. 
The tide flows above Albany^ which is 154 



n 

miles from New York. It is navigable for* 
larg'e vessels to lliulson^ and for sloops to 
Albany. The produce of the remotest farms 
is easily and speedily conveyed down this 
river to a certain miuket, at a small expence. 
In this respect. New York has the advan- 
tage over Philadelphia- A considerable 
proportion of (he produce, which is brought 
to the market at the latter place, being con- 
veyed by land, which must be attended with 
great inconvenience and expence. 

A great number of steam vessels are con- 
tinually upon the river. Many of them are 
of a very large size, and cut their way 
through the water with great facility. Ac- 
commodations are provided for passengers 
on board, as well for sleeping as eating. In 
a vessel of this description we sailed from 
New York to Albany in twenty-six hours. 
The fare, includins^ bed and boards was 
seven dollars each. 

There is a tax laid upon every passenger 
in these steam boats, which is appropriated 
to the canal fund. The aii'irrei'ate sum re- 



NS««,.-^- 



73 

ceived during the last year was about nine- 
teen thousand dollars. The amount re- 
quh'ed of each passenger^ from New York 
to Albany, is one dollar. 

The sum of one hundred and sixty thou- 
sand dollars, taken from the income arising 
from sales at auction, was, last year, applied 
hy the State Government, towards the fur- 
therance of the grand design of opening an 
inland navigation from Lake Erie to Albany. 

Albany. — This town, which is the seat 
of legislature for the State, is situated on the 
west side of the Hudson. Being a very old 
settlement, it will be readily imagined that 
the plan of the town is far from being uni- 
form. The old town is composed of streets 
narrow and irregular; but those streets 
which have a more modern date, are laid 
out and built with more taste. Many of 
these buildings are covered with tin, which 
has some advantages over slate, tile, or 
shingles. I did not observe any appearance 
of rust. The houses are, for the most part, 
built of brick, and look well. The House 



74 

of Assembly is a noble structure, standiuo^ 
upon an elevated situation at the bead of 
State street. 

Albany ale is almost as much famed in 
ibis country as London porter is throiigbout 
E n gian d. 1 1 is sold by tb e b re we rs fo r e i gb t 
dollars, or tbirty-six sbillings per barrel; 
and retailed by tbe tavern and liotel keepers 
at the rate of sixteen dollars, or twice the 
cost price. I was sorry to learn, that, al- 
though from the low price of malt and other 
ingredients in brewing, the brewers must 
receive a considerable profit, yet, some of 
them hajvebeen in the habit of infusing nox- 
ious drugs into the liquor. What monstrous 
wickedness, thus to undermine the constitu- 
tion and destroy tbe health of their fellow- 
creatures, by the use of these deleterious in- 
gredients, for the sake of a paltry gain ! 

This town is well watered from springs 
at the distance of two or three miles from 
the city — the water being conveyed to every 
part of the city by means of cast iron pipes. 
This being the great mart where the trade 



75 

of an extensive back country centres, houses 
and stores let very high. The great West- 
ern Canal from Lake Krie, as also the North- 
ern one from Lake Champlain, will join the 
river near this place. I have been favoured 
with a sight of the surveyor's estimate, for 
both these undertakings, from which it ap- 
pears that the aggregate length of the for- 
mer is about 350 miles, and the estimated 
expence upwards of one million pounds 
sterling. As this is an undertaking of great 
magnitude and importance to the State, and 
particularly to West New York, a brief ex- 
tract from the report of the commissioners^ 
employed by the legislature of the State of 
New York to superintend the survey of the 
intended route, may not be uninteresting to 
the speculative reader. 

The intended routeof the Western Canal 
traverses two slopes and one valley. The 
first slope is from Albany to Rome. 

The distance from Albany to Rome is one 
hundred thirteen and a quarter miles, fol- 
lowing the canals rising by an acclivity of 



76 

four hundred nineteen one-third feet, from 
tide water in Hudson to the sununit level 
near Rome. 

A short distance west of the latter villoire 
a valley commences which reaches to Bata- 
via, near the sources of the Tonnawanta, 
This valley contains the Oneida, Seneca, 
and Genessee rivers. 

Near Batavia, commences the western or 
Erie slope. From Lake Erie to Seneca ri- 
ver, there is a fall of 194 i'eet, which will re- 
quire twenty-five locks. From Seneca river 
to Rome a rise of 48^ feet and six locks. 
From Rome to Schoharie creek, a fall of 
133 feet iind sixteen locks. Schoharie 
creek to Albany, a fall of 286 feet and thirty 
locks. Lake Erie is 564^ feet hiiiher than 
tide water at Albany. 

The expence of the Northern Canal, from 
Lake Champlain to the Hudson at Fort 
Edward creek or Moses* kill, is calculated 
to be about £200,000 sterling. 

Acts have been passed by the State legis- 
lature of New York, appropriating funds 



77 



for opening these navign])le commnnica' 
lions. This magniriceiil undcrlakin*^- is now 
in a state of forwardness. 

June2S. — Left Albany for the Genessee 
country, bytheClierry Valley road, so call- 
ed to distinguish it from the Utica road, 
which also leads from Albany. Tliey form 
a junction near Auburn, 

For thefirst twenty miles towards Daanes- 
burg, the face of the country has little of 
the interesting' in its appearance. Oar 
course lay ihrougli a tract of land of inrerit)r 
quality, abounding with swamps and mo- 
rasses. The road tli rough these places is 
none of the easiest for travellers, being corn- 
posed of round logs laid side by side. I'o- 
wards the Schoharie creek (about twenty- 
six miles west of Albany,) the soil is fertile 
and stronar: but the settlements beini»- of a 
recent date, the surface is generally covered 
with stumps, cut off at the height of about 
three feet from the ground. These, in a 
few years, decay and become rotten, so that 
they are easily turned out by oxen. The 



78 

8tump of the pine is an exception. Partly - 
from the nature of the soil which produces 
it, and partly from the quality of the wood 
itself, this son of the forest mocks idike the 
wislies and the efforts of the farmer, for a 
Ion"- series of years. 

The idea of snugness, which has been 
said to be almost the ultimatum of an En- 
o'lisliman's wishes, has no riiiht to intrude 
here. Transplant a farmer from his clear- 
ed, well fenced, and well cultivated farm in 
the old country; and place him upon a lot 
of land here, where he cannot possibly take 
more than t\YO or three steps in one direc- 
tion wiihout comino; in contact with a 
stump; — where he could not possibly use 
an English plough ; — where his place of 
residence is a log cabin, perhaps in the 
middle of an almost impervious forest ; and 
where, in addition to all these things appa- 
rently so disagreeable and disadvantageous, 
in (he comparison, he has to encounter, and 
to struggle with, many privations of another 
nature, to which all new settlers in new 



79 

countries are unavoidably exposed, — what 
would be Ills sensations? Would not the 
cherished remembrance of the society he 
had left, the friends he had deserted, and tlie 
privileges he had bartered for a Imljitatioii 
in the desert; — would not these things, con- 
jured up by memory's retrospective power, 
rush upon his mind, and, by making '' the 
savage wilderness more wild," bow down 
his soul w4th anguish and despair? 

The soul of man is a strange compound 
of desires and affections. When these de- 
sires are placed upon a wrong object, or 
upon something out of our reach, we are 
necessarily disappointed in our search after 
it ; and the weight of the disappointment 
will be in proportion to the strength of our 
desire, and the warmth of our affection or 
esteem. In tlie case of emigration, the 
minds of too many are raised up to such a 
pitch of expectation, by the perhaps extra- 
vairaut and exaggerated account of the 
blessings to be received in the " T^nd of 
Freedom/* that^ although tlie advantage of 



80 

the change may be considerable,, he must 
be disappointed. The consequence is, that 
from thinking" too highly in anticipation^ he 
judges too low in the possession of the real 
comforts to be enjoyed. Withont a patient 
examination of both sides of this question, 
our natural prejudices in favour of old ha- 
bits, would be apt to produce what might 
possibly be a partial and an unjust conclu- 
sion. 

The land in Schoharie township seems to 
be of a good quality, and produces excel- 
Jent wheat. When the Grand Canal, the 
line of which runs near this place, is com- 
pleted, its situation, with respect to markets, 
will be considerably improved, and, of 
course, the value of this land enhanced. 

Fiom Schoharie to Cherry Valley, by 
way of Carlisle and Sharon, a distance of 
about twentv miles, the soil is stron": and 
good, and seems particularly favourable for 
grass, if the pastures, which are very luxu- 
riant, may be taken as a criterion. In this 
route we saw a picture of America in minia- 



81 

fiire. In some places, nature still reigns 
Avith undisturbed sway, and the gloomy fo- 
rest rears its majestic head to a wondrous 
lieight. Not a sound is heard, save the 
screams of the birds of prey, or sometimes 
tlie crash of falling trees, which, being de- 
cayed through age, and unable longer to 
retain their post, fall down, and, crumbling 
into dust, enrich the soil whence they 
sprung. 

Accidents have happened to travellers 
from trees falling across the road. Not 
long since, a young woman was returning 
from a visit to her relations, preparatory to 
her marriage. Her intended consort accom- 
panied her on the journey. Alarmed at the 
prospect of a storm, and anxious to gain a 
shelter, they pressed forward, but were over- 
taken. A decayed oak, which, impelled by 
the blast, began to fall as they approached, 
struck the neck of his horse ; the young man 
escaped, but his intended bride was crushed 
to death. 

M 



82 

In other places^ the process of girdling, 
chopping", burning, &c., is going forward, 
and the forest burns in all directions. 

*' Loud sounds the axe, redoubling strokes on strokes ; 
On all sides round, the forest hurls her oaks 
Headlong. Deep echoing groan the thickets brown ; 

Then rustling, crackling, crashing, thunder down." 

In many places improved farms are to be 
seen. N. B. Farms are called improved, 
when the settler, having chopped a few acres, 
has piled up into the form of a dwelling- 
house, a number of logs, which he has per- 
haps Covered in with bark, fastened down 
with branches of trees; or, as is sometimes 
the case, with boards or shingles. 

Lastly.-— On some estates, which have 
been occupied, and under improvement for 
a Cdnsiderable length of time, (say twenty 
years,) scarcely a vestige of their primitive 
state remains. Here the sight becomes 
cheering. The neatly painted framed build- 
ing proclaims the independence of its owner, 
while, at the same time^ such buildings and 



83^ 

such farms serve to stimulate and encourage 
the industrious new settlers to perseverance 
under every difficulty, by showing them that 
liappy state of mediocrity to which they are 
sure to arrive by economy and patient in- 
dustry . 

Such is the p resient .state jof the country, 
in our track to Bridgewat^r, eighty miles 
west of Albany. It is merely a temporary 
outline. In a few vears the face of this coun- 
tiy will have a morje prepossessing appear- 
ance, and instead of being covered with 
timber^, with the exception of a few scatter- 
ed hamlets and rude farms, will, I doubt not, 
present to the «ye the observance of a well 
cultivated and thickly settled district. 

Cherry Valley — is a small town of 
considerable importance^, in the centre of a 
delightful vale, — the land being of the first- 
rate quality, and the farms in the neigh- 
bourhood considerably improved. A gopd 
farm might be purchased here for about six 
or seven pounds an acre, buildings included. 
There is at this place^ as a matter of course^ 



81 



a baukinjj establishment. The leailin"- 
question which we were asked here, as well 
as at almost every place where we stopped, 
(and we called at every village,) was con- 
cerning the banks. After satisfying such 
enquirers, it beeame our duty to ask, how 
does land sell with you ? are there any farms 
now offered for sale ? how does your pro- 
duce sell now, and what is the average price 
through the year ? &c. &c. In answer io 
our enquiries here, we learn that great quan- 
tities are offered for sale, of every descrip- 
tion, — that the prices vary in proportion to 
the eligibility of the situation and quality of 
the soil, from a dolla r per acre for the foiest 
lands, to thirty for good farms with proper 
buildings. Some proprietors oiler a credit 
of ten years, upon condition of the purcha- 
ser's paying a small percentage, by way of 
deposit or security, for the fulfilment of the 
contract. 

We hear of six banks having shut up du- 
ring the last seven days. Various are the 
causes assigned for this disordered state of 



85 

the American currency. One cause s(?ems 
to be the vast excess of paper— at least three 
times the amount of metallic money. In 
consequence of the disturbances in South 
America, the supplies of bnilion have been 
very limited, while the demand for it, by the 
operation of other causes, has been encreas- 
ed. The metallic money is also consider- 
ably diminished, by vast exportations to 
China and the East Indies, — the balance of 
trade, which is in favour of these and other 
places in the East, being paid in specie. 

The conduct of the American Govern- 
ment in encourao^in": the erection of new 
bankinf^ institutions, has, it appears, tended 
to encrease the disorder, by promoting the 
encrease of the issue of bank paper, by a 
forced circulation of notes. To remedy 
this great and growing evil, the Congress 
will, doubtless, make use of energetic mea- 
sures. 

MoRRis-TOTFN — the metropolis of Madi- 
son county, is a beautiful litlle town, situated 
upon a tract of land called Morris' Flatts^ 



86 

very rich and perfectly level. Although 
this place is only two or three years old, 
there are a number of very elegant build- 
ing's in tbe main street. It must be a mat- 
ter of astonishment to every Englishman, 
to see these new towns. They are so regu- 
larly laid out ; — so neatly built ; — they soon 
assume the appearance of brisk trading 
places, encreasing in wealth and growing 
in prosperity; — that we are sometimes al- 
most ready to conclude that the whole is a 
delusion of fancy, — the offspring of the ima- 
gination, divested of the guardianship of 
reason; — ^did not the evidence of our senses 
come to the aid of truth, and fully establish 
the fact of their reality. 

From I^ridgewater to this place we had a 
very pleasant ride of about twenty-one miles. 
The country is rather mountainous, and is 
only new, i. e. has not been long broken in- 
to, for the purpose of being cleared and 
cultivated. The setdements are all of a re- 
cent date, but the soil is almost invariably 
good, and the climate healthy. Timothy, 



87 

grain of all kinds, and potatoes, are grow- 
ing- among"s:t the stumps. I ought not to 
omit mentioning the hop-yards. These are 
an appendage to almost every estate in this 
district, and present at this time (June 29) 
a flourishing appearance, chmhing with un- 
I'estrained hixuriance to the hei"ht of eiuht- 
een feet. In these hop-yards^ such is tlie 
frnitfulness of the soil, that the hop planters 
have only about four hundred hills in au 
acre, yet, I am informed, it is no uncommon 
thing to pick Tor 81bs. of hops from each 
hill, or about 3®,0001bs. per acre. 

Cazanofia — distant from Albany a- 
bout 112 miles, is a pretty large and neat 
looking town, decorated with a shire-hall, 
church, and several fine buildings, The 
situation is on the banks of a lakje, at the 
foot of a fertile valle\^ The adjacent coun- 
try is very pleasantly diversified with hill 
and dale, and is of a good quality. We saw 
many fine farms here, some of which we 
had offered for sale. I noticed at the cor- 
ner of one estate, a board stuck up, with the 



8S 

words, '^'This farm for sale/* painted there- 
on in large letters. 

The name of the original proprietor is 
Lincoln. He purchased it for a mere trifle 
some time since, and, having planned the 
town and succeeded in inviting settlers, 
would, no doubt, realize a very considerable 
fortune by his speculation. His residence, 
which is the most elegant looking building 
we have yet seen in the interior, stands 
about half a mile from the town, at the head 
of the lake, over which, as well as of the 
adjacent country, it commands a fine view. 

Here we had an opportunity of seeing 
the removal of a barn. This is soon done 
by a few men and oxen. The general 
cause for this measure is the accumulation 
of manure round the building; which, from 
its uselessness to the American farmer in 
new and rich countries, is considered a nui- 
ttance. Either the dung or the building 
iiuist be removed. 

Mjnlius, — From the last-mentioned 
place the country may be said to answer the 



89 

general description already given, viz. near 
the road it is partially improved, but gene- 
rally bearing stumps. Great masses of fo- 
rest remain in the rear of these, untenanted^ 
except occasionally by cattle, which browse 
in the woods. 

Here we hired a coacbee (a small coach 
drawn by two horses,) to Auburn. The na- 
ture of the soil in this route fluctuates very, 
much, being in some places very poor, and, 
what is worse, there are some extensive 
swamps, which will tend to make the neigh- 
bouring country unhealthy. We passed 
through one of these, where a young man, 
who had shot a sheriff when in the act of 
distraining upon his goods for a debt, had 
remained concealed a considerable time, 
notwithstanding the posse comitatus of the 
country were in search for him, suspecting^ 
him to be here. He was at last taken, and 
suffered for his crime. 

The canal intersects the road in many 
places. Great numbers of workmen are 

N 



90 

employed, and It is expected that it will he 
opened for one hundred miles very shortly.; 
We passed the famous salt springs in thi?? 
county (Onondago). The manufactory of 
salt is chiefly carried on upon the banks of 
the lake at Liverpool, Gadsburg, and Sali- 
na. These are perhaps the most famous 
manufactories within the Union,, and are 
now carried on more extensively than ever, 
the salt being improved in quality. It is 
calculated that a quantity not less than seven 
hundred thousand bushels of salt, is sold 
here in one year, at from one shilling to 
twenty-pence a bushel. The revenue aris- 
ing from a very small duty which is laid 
upon it, is this season estimated at about 
50,000 dollars, which aie appropriated to, 
and form part of the canal fund. They are 
called salt springs, but, correctly speaking, 
no such thing as a salt spring exists. The 
quality of the waters arises from the nature 
of the soil through which they flow. In all 
places where salt (muriate of soda) is fouud 



91 

mpon this continent^ its presence is known 
by rniiny sandy flats, similar to the beaches 
of a river. Salt water has been found upon 
the Conemaiigh, and upon the great Ken- 
hawa, and in Wyth county in Virginia, 
where great quantities of salt are made. It 
is considered probable, that by sinking wells 
to a sufficient depth, salt water might be 
procured in almost any place along the 
>vestern range of the Chesnut ridge. All 
the salt works yet found, from Wyth to this 
place, are in this range. 

June 30. — Auburn. — " Sweet Auburn, 
loveliest village of the plain," — is a fine ris- 
ing town upon the outlet of Lake Owasco. 
Here several streets, containing hundreds of 
neat and elegant houses, two or three 
churches, beautiful in the extreme, a state 
prison, gaol, &c., &c.,. stand upon a site, 
where, twenty-six years ago, only one cot 
was to be seen — this was the log hut of a 
miller ! ! 

The state prison at New York being too 
$mall, the legislature fixed upon Auburn as 



92 

the most proper situation for the erection of 
another. The new prison is a massy build- 
ing, and, though not finishevi, contains, we 
are informed, no less than one hundred and 
seventy inmates. 

It is well known that no country can boast 
of a less bloody penal code than the United 
States of America. The American criminal 
law, in civil courts, except in some extraor- 
dinary cases^ only retaliates murder, or in- 
flicts death on those who have themselves 
first committed this horrid crime. Their 
policy is, to subject the offenders to a con- 
finement, proportioned in its duration to the 
magnitude of the offence proved to be by 
them committed ; during which state of im- 
prisonment, they are obliged to labour hard 
at their respective trades. It is contended 
that the idea of a rigorous confinement, for 
a long term of years, or perhaps for life, 
will be more likely to operate as a check 
upon the commission of crime, than that of 
premature death on the gallows, which, to 
a hardened villain^ has little terror. The 



93 

more sani^uiiiary law is perhaps tlie less ex- 
pensive. 

The river intersects the town and divides 
it into two nearly equal parts, furnishing by 
the falls in its stream many eli foible situa- 
tions for mills of various descriptions^ with 
which its banks are studded. These saw- 
mills are of a very simple con-truciion. 
The machinery which impels the saw, at the 
same time pushes forward the log so as to 
keep it in a proper position for the action 
of the saw. The char"*e for sawin;;; timber 
is about three shillings currency, or twenty- 
pence sterling, per one hundred feet super- 
ficies, or one half the wood for cutting up 
the remainder. There aie also grist mills 
in sufficient plenty. 

Auburn is distant on1v five or six miles 
from the new canal. The beauty of its ap- 
pearance ; — the eligibility of its situation 
for manufacturing purposes, in the midst of 
one of the best tracts of land in the Union ; 
— the healthy appearance of its inhabitants ; 
-— and^ lastly^ its rising importance; — reii- 



94 

cicr it n very interesting; scene to tlic travel- 
ler or emigrant. 

A fat ox was slaii filtered here lately, 
wiiich weiiilied 120 stone. 

June 30. — Centrefille — three miles 
west of Auburn. Here Ave surveyed a small 
estate^ which the owner offered to us for 
sale. The property consists of a very g^ood 
framed dwelling', with barns, stables^ &c.^ 
together witii upwards of fifty acres of to- 
lerably fertile land, thirty-seven of which 
are cleaied, ihe remainder timbered. It is 
very pleasantly situated at the juuctiou of 
the Cayuga and Poplc ridge roads. The 
sum asked was £G7 5, but probably it might 
have been purchased for considerably less. 

Ilavino" breakfasted with the owner, we 
accepted his offer of giving us " ^ lift/' and, 
mountintj; his donble-horse wa^oon, were 
soon carried ten miles forward to our ])lace 
of destination. This township (Scipio) 
composes part of an extensive tract of land 
granted to the soldiers in the revolutionary 
war. This grant was divided into counties. 



95 

nnd a^ain suljdlvicled into towns. To ih:*' 
classical reader, the names of these towns or 
townships will be interesting; they are as 
follow : — Cicero (contignons to Lake Onei- 
da), Manlius, Fabiiis, Solon^ Cincinatus, 
Tully, Homer, Virgil, Lvsander (Lake On- 
tario), Camillus, Sempronius^ Locke, Dry- 
den, Hannibal, Cato, Brutus^ Aureliiis, Sci- 
pio, Milton, Ulysses, Galen, Junius, Ovid, 
and Hector. 

It is an estabhshed rule, that all public 
Jands shall, previous to their being disposed 
of, be regularly surveyed, and divided into 
towns, sections, &c. — so that the chart of an 
American town or county has a regularity in 
it unknown in England. This township is 
a fair specimen, being ten miles square. Jt 
is divided into a hundred sections, each of 
which is surrounded by a road of the 
breadth of four rods, or 66 feet. As these 
roads run in right lines, they are necessarily 
parallel, or cut each other at right angles. 
These sections of 640 acres each, (including- 
the roads,) are frequently subdivided into 



96 

lialves, qtiarters, and eighilis, b} the propri- 
etors or government agents. 

When a township is thus planned by the 
government surveyors, one section, or a 
mile square, is set apart, and reserved for 
the endowment of schools. Should it be 
deemed expedient to build more school- 
houses than one, the rent of the public land 
is divided, and a certain portion deposited 
with the trustees of the several departments. 

There is a considerable fund in this State, 
for the su})port of schools. The estimated 
income of the school fund for the last year 
was 70,556 dollars; equal to £15,875 ster- 
ling. This sum is placed at the disposal of 
commissioners, for the purpose of being 
properly applied towards the education of 
the rising generation. In a population of 
a million and a half, this privilege will be 
felt and appreciated. The literature fund 
was, last year, £431. 

In some places, a schoolmaster is regular- 
ly hired during the six winter months, ge- 
nerally at the rate of about twenty dollars a 



97 

tnonth ; a school-mistress having the use of 
the school-room durin*;- the remainder of the 
year. This^ it must be observed^ is only- 
practiced in thinly settled places. 

Scipio is all excellent land, the whole of. 
•which is taken up, and a considerable part 
cleared. Cattle to the value of 80,000 dol- 
lai's, or £18,000 sterling, are ascertained to 
have been fed^ and driven from it to the 
eastern markets, during the last year. 

On the banks of the Cayuga lake, which 
forms one of the boundaries of this fine 
township, is situated the pleasant village of 
Aurora; containing fifty or sixty houses, an 
incorporated academy, post-office, church, 
&c. From this place, the surface rises gra- 
dually towards the centre of the township. 
Perhaps we ought to ascribe the unfrequen- 
cy of fogs, which are so rare on the western 
side of Scipio, as to be seldom seen above 
once in twelve months, to this regular as- 
cent of land from the lake, as the soil, by 
receiving every breath of air, acquires a 
corresponding temperature. 



98 

At this season, flie roads are very i^ooJJ 
When a settlement is new, (he trees are on- 
ly cut down level with the surface, or near- 
ly so, and a tract is formed through the 
wood, merely sufficient for the convenience 
of a single sleigh, or waggon. But an an- 
nual improvement takes place, until the 
road is sufficiently wide for any purpose. 
When the roots are decayed, six or eight 
oxen are yoked to a plough, and the road is 
ploughed as deep as possible. The surface 
is then levelled with proper instruments. 
When swamps come in the way, round logs 
are laid across, and, in some cases, covered 
with earth. 

Much has been said, hy those who are* 
unwilling that America should hayeany ex- 
eelleney about her, concerning the badness 
of the roads. From what I have seen yet, 
they are certainly not to be compared to the 
fine roads in England ; but these are im- 
proving yearly. Besides, we ought to re- 
collect, that they are not so essential to the 
convenience of an American, as to an Eng- 



99 

Jlshman. The former has not his manure^ 
liis coals anJ his lime, to drag along from 
day to day, neitlier has he to carry the 
produce of his farm to the weekly market, 
as the latter has to do. His surplus pro- 
vince, instead of being sold at fifty-two dif- 
ferent times, is perhaps sold at one stroke, 
and is generally carried off over the snow, 
in the winter season, in sleighs, to the near- 
est shipping port, which is seldom at a great 
distance. It has been advanced, as, if not a 
weighty, at least a very noisy argument 
against emigration, that there is in the 
United States no money, — no circulating 
medium ; and that, consequently, the far- 
mer cannot possibly get cash for his pro- 
duce, but is obliged to take other goods in 
lieu of it, &c., &c. Where this is the case, 
the idea of amassing what is generally call- 
ed riches, must be ridiculous. How far 
(his may be true, when applied to the west- 
ern territory, I know not, but so far as I 
have yet seen, I have found this, like many 
other current arguments, equally weighty, to 



100 

be without proof. It is true, many farmers 
receive some of the necessaries of life in 
exchange for their produce, but it is equal- 
ly so, that any man may receive cash for (he 
>vhole of his vendibles, and, therefore, if he 
is injured by the exchange, himself, not the 
country, deserves the censure. 

The store-keeper is a general merchant. 
He is grocer, draper, mercer, haberdasher, 
spirit-merchant, corn-factor, &c., — his stock 
beinff formed of a multifarious selection of 
every article which he can sell. It may be 
observed, that there are no markets where 
the weekly wants may be regularly suppli- 
ed. From this circumstance, has arisen the 
custom of bartering to the degree before 
alluded to. These merchants offer a price 
for grain upon the condition of paying for 
it in goods. Thus it is, that by reciprocal 
agreement, grain, or the necessaries of life, 
become the circulating medium. On these 
conditions, the merchant offers a higher 
price than he who pays in cash can afford 
to do ; and were it not that he advances the 



loi 

prices of his own goods in a greater propor- 
tion^ the benefit^ it is manifest^ would be re- 
ciprocal : and it would be good policy in 
the farmer to pay for these articles, which 
he must purchase, in grain, rather than in 
cash which he receives for that grain, front 
another hand^ but at a lower rate. 

Some evils arise from this mode of deal- 
ing, and some benefits may be derived from 
it. Those wlio wish it^ may command a 
cash price ; and those who can keep their 
surplus produce until the spring, may gene- 
rail}^, with safety, calculate upon being well 
paid for it. 

Store-keeping has hitherto, in the interior, 
been a very lucrative business, many men 
bavins: amassed lariie fortunes in it in a 
comparatively short period. But the stag- 
nation in trade, which is so grievously felt 
on the sea coast, will doubtless reach into 
the interior, and be felt here. The same 
immediate cause which has produced such a 
damp in the great trading cities, will per- 
haps not of itself operate here, but the ef- 



10^2 

fvct likoly in time to bo picHlucoil l)v (liat 
cause, — viz. a deprecialiou in the value of 
orain. will, if 1 mistake not. be shortly felt 
in even (inarler ot'tlie Union. 

As nii«;ht reasonably be exptH'ted, ilie 
piiee of almost every kind of nierehandise 
is hiiihor lie re than at the eastern ports. 
Ciieen tea, called hvson skin, is 6s. curren- 
cy, or o.v. 4t</. sterlini;-. ucv lb. Siiiiar is 
generally made by those who use it, there 
bein^' U\\ farms in this part of the coiuitiy 
^vitlu)llt inapl^e trees and sMi;ar houses. Holes 
are made in the tree with an auiier or axe, 
into which small wooden spouts are inserted. 
'rh<\"<e convex the liquid, which lh)ws tVom 
the tree, into wooden troughs, placed tor 
that purpose at the fool of it. This is done 
in (he sprin*;- when the days are tolerably 
warm, and the nights frosty. One pci'sou 
iiray attend to manv trees, his business i)eing' 
merely to empty (he sap from tlie troughs. 
into theco[)persor kettles, which are mostly 
placed upon a lire in the wood. The jiro- 
ccss of boiling and refining is equally siiu- 



103 

]i]e. Many fairiilies nDal<o two or flirro liuii- 
(Jred weii^lif. yraily. '^I'^H'y seldom take tiio 
pains to make it very fine, but it is sweet 
and wholesome,— iwid iiotifie lesH so because 
it is easily obtained and [>nys no duty. In 
some of the sonth- western [);irts of thcsn 
States, sngnr is already an important ariiele 
in aj^riciilture. '' Louisiana alor»e/' says 
Darby, "offers for sale yearly, upwards of 
tJiirty millions of pounds manufactured from 
the cane, and about ten millions of maple 
snji-ar, together with about four tliousand 
hogsheads of molasses.'* By reference to 
the tariff, wliich has been acted upon since 
the :iOth June, 1S18, I find that the import 
duties upon the articles just enumerated, 
viz. molasses, su<^ar, and tea, are as follow: 



Am. ves. 


For. ves. 


Molasses per gallon • • 5 cents. 


5 1-2 


Sugar, brown, per lb. - S 


3 3-10 


Lump do. .... 10 


n 


Loaf do 12 


13 1-5 



Teas from 12 to 68, according to quality. 



104 

When imported from any other place than 
China, the duties on teas are one-third 
higher. 

The price of butter at wScipio, varies from 
ISjd. per lb. to half that j)rice. This arti- 
cle also pays an ad valorem import duty of 
15 or \(d\ per cent. Pork may be estimated 
at 20 dollars, or £4 lO^. per barrel of 16 
stone. Wheat is now ^s. 9d. per Win. 
bushel. Fir wood 4s. 6d. per cord. The 
price of hay (delivered at Auburn) varies 
from 27 to 43s. per ton. Shingles 6s. 9d. 
per thousand. N. B. A thousand of these 
shingles will cover about twenty square 
yards. Inch boards made of pine^ are sold 
at the rate of 3s. id. sterling' per 100 feet 
Cherry boards are something* higher. Milch 
*» cows may be estimated at 20 dollars, and 
oxen at from 40, to 100, per head. Wool 
(which is here a mixture of the Merino 
and several other kinds of sheep, chiefly im- 
pel ted from Spain, but suffered to intermix 
and degenerate,) is worth 2s. 6d. per lb. It 
is short, thick, and fine. When Spain was 



105 

invaded by the armies of Bonaparte, many 
of their sheep were sent to America and 
sold for extravagant prices. But the Me- 
rino mania has at length ceased_, and the 
pure breed is now seldom met with. 

The time may not be far distant, \vlien 
the growth of this valuable article will meet 
with greater encouragement, and wool be 
in more brisk demand ; for America must 
become a manufacturing nation to be tridy 
independent. Instead of bringing all her 
woollen and cotton fabricks upwards of 
Ihree thousand miles, she miglit have sup7 
plied herself with these articles to tbe ut- 
most extent of her wants, and have saved 
one hundred millions of dollars since the 
war. I am aware that many arguments 
may be brought forward in support of the 
opinion that the government of diis country 
cannot, consistent with good policy, give 
encouragement to manufacturers; but though 
tlie immediate effect of regulations, con- 
trolling the competition of foreign with do- 
mestic wares, may possibly be an increase 



106 

of price, yet the contrary will l)c tlie ulti- 
mate effect in every successful manufacture. 
It is an axiom, that when a domestic manu- 
facture has attained to perfection, and has 
engaged in the prosecution of it a compe-' 
tent number of persons, it invariably be- 
comes cheaper. Being free from the heavy 
charges which attend the importation of 
foreign commodities, it can be afforded 
cheaper^ and, accordingly, in process of 
time, may be sold for a less price than the- 
foreign article for which it is a substitute. 
In the event of an act being passed for the 
encouragement of manufacturies, it may be 
reasonably concluded, that a competition 
"would take place, which would prevent mo- 
nopoly, and by degrees reduce the price of 
the article to the minimum of a reasonable 
profit on the capital employed. There is a 
considerable ad valorem import duty upon 
all kinds of woollen and cotton fabrics. 

Considerable quantities of both woollen 
and cotton cloths are made in the interior, 
the use of fine British cloths being almosi 



107 

iDxdusively confined to town residents. It 
is the cnstoin with many farmers to send 
tlieir wool to a mill or manufactory^ where 
it is put through a regular process, and one 
half of the cloth made from it, returned to 
the owner of the raw material, without any 
expence save one-lhird of the cost of dress- 
ing, which will be i^enerally from b^d. io6j;d. 
sterling* per yard, to the owner, for mens* 
wear, and for womeris' about Sd. I have 
seen several pieces of this manufacture ; it 
uppcars to be well made, and calculated to 
be very serviceable. They do not pretend, 
nor are they yet able, to produce as fine aa 
article as could be made in England with 
the same material ; owing to a deficiency of 
skill and other reasons. The American 
manufacture may in general be readily dis- 
tinguished from the British, hy a peculiar 
smell which the former has, owin«: to the 
use of linseed oil, and a culpable neglect in 
the use of a certain article in dressinf^-. 
Common wool is carded at the mills for 3d, 



108 

per lb., half merino bd., ami full-bloodt^cl 
nierino for Ijd. sterling* per lb. 

Our kind host, IMr. John Kellett, who mi- 
grated from Westmorland to this country a 
few years ago, has a flock of the half breed, 
from one of which, killed from the pasture, 
he took 21 lbs. of fat, which was worth 
about lis. 9d. These sheep in the fall are 
-worth about 18s. each. 

Store and tavern-keepers pay a tax for 
licenses of from six dollars to fifty, accord- 
ing to situation,* 

The farmer here pays about three per 
cent, per annum upon the yearly value of 



* The law which demands the same sum from the 
landlord of a country public house and the keeper of a 
London tavern by way of license, does not seem to be 
equitable. Does any one reply, *' that the Government 
receives infinitely more in the latter case> in the shape 
of duties upon the wines, &c. consumed at his house,'* 
I answer, his customers pay this duty, and the greater 
the consumption the more the landlord is profited. The 
tea dealer who can vend eleven hundred pounds of tea 
per annum, pays only one shilling per cent, for his li- 
cense while he who only sells one-tenth of that quantity 
Days ten times the rate of duty for liberty of sale. 



109 

Ims farm and stock ; in direct luxes and 
rates, parochial and parliamentary. But it 
must be observed tkat a considerable portion 
of this, in the form of a county-rate, is laid 
out for his immediate and direct benefit, in 
the improvement of roads, bridges, &c. 
The general government of the United 
States is chiefly supported by indirect taxes, 
or duties on tonnage, wares and merchan- 
dise, at the time and place of importation, 
and by the sale of public lands. Tiie an- 
nual expenditure for the support of the civil 
government and the army and navy, has 
been estimated at two miihons six hundred 
and fifty-five thousand pounds sterhng, in- 
dependent of the sinking fund, which is near- 
ly as much. James Monroe, the President 
of the United States, receives as a compen- 
sation for his services in the government of 
this extensive country, a yearly salary of 
£5,625. Daniel D. Tomkins, of New York, 
the Vice-President, 1125. 

The salaries of all the servants of the pub- 
lic, in every department of the Federal Go- 



IK) 

Vonunont, are In (lie same ratio. . The two 
J^ccretiii i<^s of State have each a sahiry of 
£1,230 a-vear. The Chief Justice £1,125 
4i-jeai\ Tlie Attorney-General j£7S7 lOs, 
Their Ambassadors to England^ France^ 
liiissia, the Netherlands^ Spain, Portugal, 
and Sweden, each £2^025 per annum, &c. 
Thus it appears evident, that although their 
laws and their system of government may 
1)0 modelled after ours, yet in the article of 
ex pence they dissent very widely. 
, '^I'his day we attended at a meetiiig of the 
rnagisiracy, wliicli v»as held in this town- 
ship. Tliere being no court-house erected 
as vet, the place of meetin-:! was a tavern. 
It SO happened that this was the day ap- 
])ointed for " opening the cellar ;" we were^ 
accordingly, called upon to partake of the 
feslivilies of the occasion. Decanters, con- 
taining spirituous liquors of almost every 
descri|>tion, being placed upon a table in 
the centre of the room, every man was in- 
vited to take what he j)!eased. At such a 
meeting in Ejigland, nine-tenths of the 



in 

company would have been as silent as stn- 
tues; — here^ independence of spirit, and 
freedom of discussion, prevailed, and everv 
man seemed to consider liimself entitled to a 
hearing'. Tiie mag-istrate^ the farmer, and 
the mechanic, v.ere so far on a level. A- 
superiority of intellect seemed to be the 
only claim to distinction. 

We were introduced as English travellers, 
whOj feeling a partiality for their country, 
had crossed the Atlantic, in order to satisfy 
our minds, by personal enquiry. A gene- . 
ral desire of beins; useful to us seemed to 
pervade the company. Almost every man, 
it must be observed, has travelled more or 
less^ and an American will discourse aboiil; 
places several hundred miles distant fronr 
his home, with a knowled^-e so circumstan- 
tial as to be trulv admirable. Some of the 
most enlightened, manifested a strong de- 
sire to be acquainted with the state of the 
country we had left. Happening, in the 
course of conversation, to allude to the tith- 
ing system^ one of the company requested 



112 

me to explain my meaning more fully. 1 
told him that " by tithes I meant a tenth of 
every man's hay and corn, tnrnips and po- 
tatoes, his geese and his pigs, liis eggs, his 
wool, &c. &c. — which he is obliged to pay 
to the parson (whether he goes to church 
or not) for his spiritual assistance." My 
assertion was received by several with an 
incredulous smile. But when the querist 
understood from some of the company that 
''^ the thin o^ was reallv so/' and that it was 
customary for the clergy to send their carts 
into the fields of their parishioners in order 
to take away the corn and hay, he could not 
conceal his astonishment, — but declared, 
with great emphasis, *^' that were he subject- 
ed to such treatment, he would shoot the 
first man that entered his fields with that 
desii»:n." 

The chairman of the magistrates, who 
had lately filled the seat of the representa- 
tive of this district in the House of Assem- 
bly, invited us to his house, and pressed us 
to make it a place of call should we ever, in 



113 

llie course of our travels, come that way 



again. 



From the above account It may be seerii 
tliat whatever may be said by ^'slippery" 
travellers and others_, to prove that a deep- 
rooted animosity exists in the minds of the 
native Americans against English and other 
emigrants^ ought at least to be received 
1^'ith suspicion. If these travellers have 
treated them as inferiors^ such conduct has 
brought down upon their own heads the 
contempt such conduct deserved. Tliis 
contempt may have been/miscalled animo- 
sity. So far as I have yet seen, 1 have cer- 
tainly had no reason to complain. The 
very reverse. 

It has, I believe, been already noticed, 
that there are a great number of farms in 
the market at present. They may be pur- 
chased of every dimension, from the garden 
lot, to 640 acres. Buildings, for the most 
part, are neat and good. This township 
being, comparatively speaking, an old set- 



114 

dement, log huts have given way to th^ 
more elegant branches of architecture, 

A good framed dwelling-house, with stone 
cellars, may be raised for 500 dollars. This 
will be *^Wery comfortable and convenient,'* 
and better calculated to resist the wintry 
blast, than may be imagined. The cellar 
is dug out, and built with stone, upon which, 
as a foundation, the frames are raised. 
These are cased over with boards on the 
outside^ and laths and plaster on the inside. 
In some instances the outer coat is made 
double. These boards are about six inches 
broad, are made smooth, and, when fastened, 
are generally painted white or green, and 
will last a century. In laying these on, 
they begin at the bottom of the building, 
the edge of the next board lays upon (not 
joints in with,) the lower, and so on. It will 
be seen from the price of the chief material, 
(wood,) that the labour is the principal cause 
of expence in building. Glass sells here at 
lOd, sterling per foot^ 



115 

A corn crib^ with a barn of framed tim- 
ber, and covered with rough sawn boards, 
containing an area of two hundred square 
yards, and finished with stabhng, will cost 
about eighty guineas. A log cabin four or 
five. 

The price of farms in Scipio, with proper 
out-buil lings, varies from 20 to 25 and 30 
dollars per acre, according to circumstances. 
Some very choice. situations with extraordi- 
nary buildings, would, of course, command 
more. I have been surprized to find so ma- 
ny fine farms offered for sale. I see no ap- 
pearances indicative of poverty, and yet al- 
most every estate in this township might be 
purchased. Grain of all kinds seems to sell 
higher here than in most of the new coun- 
tries. Land, I believe, may be bought here 
twenty per cent, lower than on the banks 
of the Ohio, while at the same time it is de- 
monstrable that grain is worth commonly 
from thirty to a hundred per cent, more 
here, than in the above-mentioned district. 
I see no way of solving this difficulty but by 



116 

admitting that the price of land is less de- 
pendant on the quality of the soil and the 
commercial advantages^ than on the number 
of purchasers. The spirit of emigration 
seems nearly sufficient to counterbalance 
any eflect which might be produced by the 
numerous sales in this county. 

Great numbers of silk worms are raised 
and fed in this township. One gentleman 
of my acquaintance^ who, till lately, kept a 
great number of these valuable reptiles, says 
that he could manufacture silk for nearly 
the same ex pence as tow cloth. How far 
this assertion may be correct, I cannot take 
upon me to say, but I am certain, from the 
great quantity of mulberry trees growing in 
the neighbourhood, they may be kept at a 
small expence. 1 saw several thousands of 
these industrious creatures in one room. 

Some farmers are accustomed to have 
their shoes made in their own houses, by 
men who travel, as tailors do in the country 
parts of Old England. The rate of charge 
is from 2s. 3d, to 3s. 6d. (English) perpair^ 



117 

the employer finding leather and victuals, 
A pair of Suwarrow boots are made for 18s. 
and when bought ready made^ will cost about 
a guinea and a half. 

The estimated cost of clearing wood land, 
is the same wherever we have travelled-^ 
about 14 dollars per acre. How this is done 
it may not be amiss to explain. I have al- 
ready noticed, that the stumps of trees are 
invariably (except in the roads) left stand- 
ing. The upper part, when cut off, is iin-» 
mediately '' chopped" into about twelve 
feet lengths. As mauy rails as may be 
wanted are then split off. One man can 
make 200 of these in a day. They are 
piled up to a considerable height, so as to 
form a good fence, but these have an awk- 
ward appearance. The remainder of the 
wood is rolled into heaps, and burnt to 
ashes, which are sometimes sold to the soap- 
maker. As soon as the trees are cut down, 
and the ground cleared from every thing 
but stumps, the surface, unless the season is 
far advanced, which is seldom the case whilo 



118 

the '^chopping '* lasts, is soon covered vNith 
white clover, which springs up spontaneous' 
]y in great ahundance. 

We assisted in turning out some stumps, 
which had stood about eiglit years. Tliey 
were quite decayed. Until these are got 
out of the way, the plough is seldom seen 
amongst them. The harrow alone pre- 
pares the ground for a crop or two of Indi* 
an corn and wheat; the field is then proba- 
bly laid down, or perhaps, more properly iii 
many instances, suffered to lay, it not being 
absolutely necessary to sow it with grass 
seeds. We were shown some fields covered 
with heavy crops of grass and clover, which 
had sprung spontaneously, this being the 
first year after a crop of grain. In this 
slate is a field belon^-ins: to Mr. Kellett's 
estate, which, having produced ten fine 
crops of grain without the aid of manure, 
was suffered to rest. It now bears a crop 
of ^-rass little inferior to what mi^-ht have 
been expected had grass seeds beeu regur- 
larlv sown. 



119 

The fertility of the soil almost exceeds 
belief. Mr. K/s horse-pasture of five acres^ 
in which he has grazed four as good horses 
as I have yet seen, all this season, and also 
some cows and working oxen occasionally, 
is nevertheless covered with such a super- 
fluity of grass and clover, as to appear at a 
distance more like a meadow field than a 
horse-pasture. This is not an exaggerated 
statement. This last- mentioned, as well 
as several others of this gentleman's fields, 
are freed from stumps. It does not require 
much logic to prove, that such land as this 
is worth £6 an acre, or £7 with buildings 
included* 



120 



CHAPTER IV. 

Cayuga — Geneva — Canandagua — Avon — - 
Genesse — Caledonia — Batavia — Buffalo^ 

July 2. 

Left Sciplo for Buffalo, Lake Erie. On 
our road to Auburn we met with an eques^ 
trian traveller, an Englishman. He had re^ 
cently seen Mr. Birkbeck, in the Illinois, 
and Mr, Ross, in the so much talked of 
Bristol settlement^ in the Susquehannah 
county. He did not much approve of the 
former situation, chiefly on account of its 
unhealthiness— it being surrounded with 
wet prairies, which independent of their 
baneful influence upon the atmosphere, 
make the neighbourhood very disagreea- 
ble. Bilious fevei's, which in some in- 
stances have proved fatal^ are breaking oul 



121 

ill the settlement^ arid emigrants are ad- 
vancing: forwards to the Missouri. 

Our route lay over the Cayuga lake, 
which we crossed over a bridge two thou- 
sand ^ards in length! The first bridge, 
which was built here in 1800^ was broken 
down by the ice. It was again repaired in 
1818, and was only saved froin destruction, 
by the intrepidity of one of the proprietors, 
who descended singly upon the ice, which 
had just reached the bridge, and with an 
axe equalized the pressure till the whole 
mass ceased to move. The bridge is per- 
fectly level, and is supported by an immense 
quantity of wooden props, driven in to a 
great depth. From the bridge we have a 
fine prospect of the lake. The irregularity 
of its shores adds much to its beauty. From 
this spot it extends south-south-east about 
thirty-five miles, but the south half of that 
distance, is hidden by hills. 

There are two little villages called East 
and West Cayuga; sonanjed from their re- 
(spective situations at each end of the bridge* 

R 



122 

The Grand Canal interlocks^ wllli the Sc" 
neca riveiv, (the outlet of Seneca lakej a- 
bout two miles and a half west of Cayuga 
bridge. There are some falls upon this ri- 
ver within view of the road, not indeed of 
any considerable height, hut sufficiently so 
to make locks necessary. There are some 
good and valuable mill seats upon this stream. 
The influence of these in "athering: villas^es, 
has often been remarked. Both at this 
place, and at Waterloo, three miles further 
west, the erection of mills ha« been as it were 
the signal for the commencement of im- 
provement. The latter place, which has 
lately become the capital of Seneea county, 
is a flourishing town, built mostly of brick, 
on the banks of the Grand Canal, but sur- 
rounded by a country rather too low and 
wet. The arable lands are not considered 
so productive as tiiose further to the south. 

The father of a young officer in the Ame- 
rican army, with whom I have the honour to 
be Avell acquainted, was the first settler m 
this neighbourhood^ about twenty year* 



123 

a^o. A tribe of Indians were in the vicini- 
ty. One of the Indians, being incensed at 
some injury which he had received, or inna- 
2:1 ned he had received, from some of the 
whites, who by this time w^ere gathering 
round Mr. Birdsall, committed some depre- 
dation which could not be overlooked. He 
was accordingly ordered to be arrested. 
Several men in making the attempt were 
wounded or killed by the savage. At length 
he was secured by the following stratagem. 
A plan was concerted that some person 
should get upon the roof of his cabin in the 
dead of the niglit. At day-light, some others 
at a distance were to make a noise, in order 
to rouse the savage, and bring him to the 
door : the man above was then to throw 
himself upon him, and disarm or seize him. 
This was accordingly done, and when he 
rushed to the door with his rifle in his hand, 
the man upon the roof sprung upon him, 
seized and secured him. He was tried and 
executed in the midst of his tribe, not one 



124 

of whom (such was their detestalion of his 
deeds) offered to lift a liaiul for liis rescue. 

Geneva — distant about twenty miles 
from Auhurn. This is one of the principal 
towns in the western district^ and is fniely 
situated at the north-east corner of Seneca 
lakC;, over which it commands a delightful 
prospect. This lake is about forty miles in 
length, and from four to six in width. It 
was observed by a fellow-traveller, that this 
town derived its name from the similaritv of 
the lake near which it stands, to that of Ge- 
neva, in Switzerland. In our route to this 
plHce from Waterloo, and particularly to- 
wards the lake, we found the surface of the 
ground to consist chiefly of swamps and 
sand-banks. The soil, however, in the im- 
mediate vicinity, improves considerahly in 
in quality, and the situation of the town isf 
by no means marshy or low. 

From Geneva to Canandaigua, the coun- 
try is very beautiful. The surface is roll- 
ing*, and so disposed by the hand of nature 



125 

as readily to discluirge the superfluous wa-; 
ter in rainy seysons. The acer saccharinum 
(su^ar maple) abounds. 

Canandaigua — has been called the finest 
villaf^e in the United States. It is only 
?ibout thirty years old, and contains, it is 
computed, about 2,000 inhabitants. In the 
main street, which is about two miles in 
length and very wide, the houses are parti- 
cularly elegant. These being for the most 
part shaded by trees, the place has a neat- 
ness and eleiirance which cannot well be 
described. The situation of this place is, 
like Geneva, on the banks of a fine lake. 
The land is of good quality, and many of 
the farms are well cleared. The price of 
land may be stated at from seven to nine 
pounds an acre, with proper buildings. It 
is a place of considerable business, and is 
the seat of justice for Ontario county. 
There are two banks, viz. the Ontario, and 
the Utica branch bank, established here. 

The countrv to the west of Canandaiirua 
to East Bloomfield is pleasunt, and has ur^- 



126 

dcrgone conskleruble improvement. The 
soil appcurs, in many places, to be of a 
marly nature, which is accounted for by its 
vicinity to a large bed of limestone, called 
the limestone ledg'c. Perhaps this tract may 
be considered inferior to that between Ge- 
neva and Canandaig na. 

West Bloom field — thirteen milest W. 
of the last-mentioned place, is a village of 
considerable importance. In this tract, and 
more particularly in the county of Lima, 
we observed some excellent crops of wheat. 

The genera of trees, will be to every tra- 
veller an object of great interest. By an 
attentive observance of these, he may in 
some measuse distinguish the nature of the 
respective soils upon wbich they grow. 
I lore the Pinus, the larch excepted, the 
Tax us, and the Juniper tree, with some 
others, constitute a natural assemblage of 
plants, which seldom intrude upon soils well 
adapted to the labours of the Agriculturist, 
but, retiring to the swamp, the sandy waste, 
the precipice, the hill and the mountain^ 



127 

give verdure to the wintry landscape. Oiu" 
road was often bordered by patches of the 
Cicuta maculata, or poisonous hemh^ck. 
This is considered an unwelcome intruder, 
and cannot easily be exterminated. 

Considerable quantities of plaster are 
used here. How this operates as a manure 
upon land, philosophers are not well agreed. 
Many ingredients of the plaster stone mii^ht 
be enumerated, upon the proportion of 
which the value of the stone must depend. 
One thing' appears to be generally admit- 
ted, that the soil may receive with it impe- 
rishable and fertilizins: additions. Most, if 
not all the farmers, who are in the habit of 
using plaster, of whom we made enquiry 
concerning its properties, entertained the 
opinion that it either attracted moisture, or 
that land sown with it retained the moisture 
longer than that without it. "For instance,'' 
say they, '' dew will lay an hour longer upon 
plastered than upon unplastered land," — 
This observation is corroborated by the fact, 
that it is a property of sulphuric acid, which 



128 

k one ingredient in the plaster stoile, to at- 
tract water from the atmosphere. 

Some writers, from an observation of the 
benefit of common salt and other minerals 
in the animal economy, have considered the 
operation of salt upon vegetables as analo- 
gous; and, accordingly^ have classed it as 
a stimulant. Bui the following objections, 
started by INIr. David Thomas, of Aurora, 
to whom 1 am indebted for much informa- 
tion on this, as well as many other subjects, 
demand some attention. 

1st. On some soils, where the vegetable 
matter has been reduced and the land mel- 
lowed by frequent ploughings, not the small- 
est benefit from this manure has been per- 
ceived ; but on restoring the vegetable mat- 
ter, the effect of gypsum is striking. 

2nd. On the same soil, from which gyp- 
sum produces a luxuriant vegetation, sim- 
ple culture has an effect similar and not less 
remarkable. 

Srd. The same result is also produced by 
rain water in small and frequent appliGations<, 



129 

4th. Animal substances. 

It would be desirable to know^ why in all 
these cases, that mineral is not equally ne- 
cessary. Or, if it be, whence and in what 
manner is the supply obtained. 

Avon. — This village, situated about 
twenty-three miles west of Canandaigua, is 
neither remarkable for its size nor impor- 
tance. But its site, upon an elevated plain, 
skirted by the Genessee river^ is peculiarly 
pleasant. 

We were here first gratified with the 
sight of some Indian squahs (women). 
Their appearance was well calculated to ex- 
cite disgust in the minds of any; but more 
particularly in those who had not been ac- 
customed to the sight of such objects. Their 
upper garments were dirty blankets; un- 
derneath these were short petticoats, and 
something like stockings and shoes or san- 
dals below. Each of them had a load upon 
her back suspended to a belt which came 
over the brow. 



130 

It was almost nii»ht vvlien we rcacliod the 
tavern wliere we intended io lodge. There 
were several hunters, or backwoodsmen, 
sitting in the house, with their rifles hetweeiij 
their knees. This sight, so frequent in new 
countries, of fierce-looking semi-barbaroiis 
hunters, is not calculated to inspire the mind 
of the British traveller Avith any very pleas- 
ing emotions, or strong desires of settling in 
such a neighbourhood. But I saw not the 
least symptom of rudeness or indecency ; 
on the contrary, the behaviour of these men, 
though in appearance no better than a sa- 
vage banditti, was respectful and proper. 
These hunters are, for the most part, pro- 
prietors of soil. I conjecture, that poverty 
has been, in some degree, the cause of this 
apparent indolence. At their first settle- 
ment here, the lands were in a state of na- 
ture, consequently the returns of agriculture 
were slow and limited. The forest offered 
a supply of food, and the gun was resorted 
to as the means of procuring a subsistence. 



131 

At first, tlie settler might only use his ^un oc- 
casionally, to satisfy the imperious calls of ne- 
cessity ; but these pursuits have a tendency 
to grow upon the mind. Thus the labours 
of the field are neglected, and habits unfa- 
vourable to industry acquired. These men 
seldom u^row rich. 

It might be imagined, from the seemingly 
lawless habits of these backwoodsmen, that 
crimes would abound. The almost imper- 
vious forest and the swampy marsh offer so 
many secure retreats to the offender, that 
the greatest offences might be committed 
with impunity. But facts plainly prove, 
that notwithstanding so many circumstances 
concur to banish the idea of responsibility^ 
crimes are very rare. 

Suppers and breakfasts are much in the 
same style here as in the more eastern parts 
through which we have travelled. At these 
meals the mistress of the house generally 
presides. Except at these times, she is sel- 
dom seen. We have, generally, several 
sorts of breads coffee^ fish, eggs, stewed fruity 



132 

butter, cheese, cutlets, &c. &c. Those 
things require some preparation, and if the 
traveller, anxious to be forward, should be 
so imprudent as to seem impatient or angry 
atthe delay, it is much if he is not punished 
for it, by having longer to wait. We were, 
for the most part^ charged half a dollar for 
each meal, in travelling. At the inferior 
taverns, accommodation might be had at a 
lower rate. 

We passed through an Indian settlement 
about three or four miles westward of Avon. 
Their huts are very low ; chiefly, if not 
without exception, made of logs, '' chunked ** 
with clay and covered with bark. As we 
})assed this place at day-break, we did not 
observe any of the inmates stirring. 

The Genessee river is crossed here by a 
bridge, which is of the same construction 
as that at Trenlon. Thoui^h this river is 
in general very deep, yet it is said to be 
fordable in the summer season. Some of 
the famous Genessee flats lie on the western 
margin of this river, at this place. The 



133 

soil upon these flats is alluvial^ extremely 
deep, and very fertile, but they seldom ex- 
tend further than from a mile to a mile 
and a half from the banks of the stream. 
This is an Indian reservation. The river 
is here about 70 yards wide. It rises in 
Potter county, Pennsylvania, near the 
sources of the Alleghany, with which it in- 
terlocks, and, after running- about 120 miles, 
falls into the Lake Ontario, below Roches- 
ter. 

Crossing this flat, we entered upon a large 
plain. The soil here is light and gravelly, 
but bearing good crops. What is matter of 
some surprize, the Quercus Alba, or white 
oak, which almost exclnsively prevails here, 
is small and stunted. Perhaps this may be 
partly accounted for, from the vicinity of 
the limestone rocks, which are here very 
near the surface. There are some exten- 
sive fields of wheat in this district, although 
it appears to be scarcely inliabited. This 
description of soil extends about four or five 
miles in a westerlv direction, towards Cale- 



134 



(lonia^ a small villiige of about 20 houses. 
'^I'here is a remarkably large spring at this 
})lace, wliichj issuing from a bed of lime- 
stone^ carries a grist mill, a saw mill, and 
isome carding mills, within a few yards of 
tlie spring. Limestone abounds here in 
every field. The soil is black and fertile; 
a mixture of decomposing rock and vegeta- 
ble matter, — and would form excellent 
sheep-pastures. \Ve observed several stone 
walls here. Allen's creek, six or seven 
jviiles west of Caledonia, is a very valuable 
stream: there beini>: a number of mills 
upon it. From what I have hitherto seen 
of this country, these small streams are rare- 
ly to be met with in the summer season. 

Leroy — is a new, pleasant village. We 
^aw many fine farms in our route this day, 
l)earing abundant crops. It is said that the 
land in the State of Ohio, is better calculat- 
ed for |)rodiicing heavy crops of Indian 
corn, than that in (he Genessee country; 
but that this produces more and finer wheat. 
This appears probable, when we consider 



135 

that tliongli the former is foimd every where 
on all soils and climates from Canada to the 
Mexican gulf, yet the ground most conge- 
nial to its growth does not differ much from 
that suitable to cotton^ which must have a 
warm sun. 

The timber, after leaving the oak lands 
before-mentioned, is mostly beech and ma- 
ple, which is indicative of a soil of superior 
quality. AVherever the sugar maple flou- 
rishes, the soil is favourable for the produc- 
tion of timothy. This thrives well on a 
strong marly soil. 

The eastern boundary of the [lolland 
Company's purchase is crossed six miles 
east of Batavia. This boundary is an open- 
ing of considerable width, and through a 
large extent of woody country, in a direct 
line. This "purchase" is part of the tract 
ceded to INIassachusets, on a compromise of 
the claims of that State, whose charter 
covered all the lands directly westward to 
the Pacific Ocean. This cession extended 
only to the private right of soil. The quan- 



136 

tlty sold to the Holland Company was (if I 
mistake not) three millions and a half of 
acres, which was valued at less than three- 
pence an acre. Such properly, at that time, 
it would seem, was considered a burden to 
the Stale ; and to dispose of it, on any terms, 
an act of ])atriolism. A prodigious quan- 
tity of this land is now under cultivation, 
liaving' been sold by the company, who 
have pocketed immense sums by their spe- 
culation, manv of the lands havinir been 
sold at an advance of from eight to twenty- 
four thousand per cent, upon the original 
purchase. They have a land office at Ba- 
tavia, kept by a Mr. Ellicott. This gen- 
tleman's situation is very lucrative, his re- 
muneration being' seven percent, upon the 
amount of the purchase- money, for all the 
land sold by him. He has realized an im- 
mense property. 

Batafia — the capital of Genessee coun- 
ty, may contain about four or five hundred 
iidiabitants. At the west end of this town, 
the arsenal, built of stone, two stories high. 



137 

appears oil an eminence lo great advantage. 
This liuilding we aie informed^ is guarded 
by a delaelunent of soldiers. The town it- 
self has a pleasant and lively appearance; 
the houses are neat, some of them elegant. 
A fine court-house, built of l)rick, and a 
beautiful church, adorn the centre of the 
lowu. But its situation, and indeed tliat of 
all the adjacent country, is too low and 
niarsliy to be healthy, and there are many 
j)onds and marshes in the immediate vicini- 
ty. We noticed some cedar swamps and 
gro\esof hendock in this neighhonrhood. 
liitermittents aie prevalent. I'he Grand 
Canal passes tliis place at no great distance 
fi'om Hatavia, whicli, of course, erdiances 
tiie value, and will promote the sale, of the 
Comj)a!iy's lands. To encourage i\ni pro- 
jectors, tlie Company has, 1 am informed, 
presented to the Canal fund 100,000 acres. 

Tonnawanta creek, a considerable stream, 
waters this place, and furnishes, by its falls 
near the centre of the town, some situations 

T 



I3g 

for mills. It is a heavy dull stream, more* 
resembling a canal than a river. 

Ill our route towards Buffalo we passett 
over auother Indian reservation. The soil 
is generally light, but apparently very fruit- 
fal. Here it lays upon a bed of limestone, 
which may be the reason, as hinted before, 
why the timber looks stunted and poor. 
Some of the Indians in this settlement are 
reputed good farmers ; but I saw little proof 
of their skill in this science. Their atten- 
tion is mostly turned to raising cattle. Their 
predilection for this is readily accounted 
for. 

We were here indulged with a sri>ht of 
.some female Indians. It was impossible to 
refrain from laughter at the sight of the lit- 
tle papooses (children). These are carried 
by their mothers upon tlieir backs, being 
fastened to a board from their infancy. A 
cloth covers the child up to its chin, so that 
only the head is visible. It will be readily 
imagined^ that the child and the iiioth^F 



139 

snust look opposite ways. Their colour Is 
a deep copper. Alto<»;ether^ their appear- 
ance was novel and f^rotesque. 

WiLLiAMSviLLE — a Small village^ re- 
markable for its water- falls and mill-seats. 
The limestone rock abounds here : so much 
so, that in many places it is too rocky to be 
arable. We have some time since taken 
leave of the beech and hemlock_, and the 
shrubby white oak becomes the principal 
timber. The season is evidently not so for- 
ward as at Scipio. 

All the Indians we had hitherto met with 
were females, dressed in much the same 
style as those first described. At the dis- 
tance of about two hours ride from Buffalo, 
we met one of their warriors upon his pranc- 
ing' charger. He was magnificently dress- 
ed, and ornamented with several shells and 
pieces of silver, which he had hung round 
him. He was a good looking man, but had 
a dark lowering countenance. 

The road for many miles here is extreme- 
ly bad, being formed of wood laid cross- 



140 

"ways. I have already described (lie man- 
ner of forming these roads. Woe to the 
mail who attempts to ride over ihem in a 
four-wheeled vehicle!! 

Approaching- Biiffalo, many fine farms 
presented tliemsclves to our view. The 
land is of the first-rate quality^ and the 
crops, particularly after passing Murder 
creek^ abundant. It is computed that ve- 
getation is two weeks later here than in Ca- 
yuga county, which is accounted for by the 
vicinity of the great lake. 

The town itself was liid from our view, 
by the intervening ridge, until wewerejust 
upon it. It is a beautifully built place, not 
equalled in this respect by any inland town 
which I have yet seen, except Canandaigua, 
over which it has many other advantages. 
The houses being mostly built of brick, and 
the streets laid out upon a regidar plan, it 
has a neatness in its appearance which is 
peculiar to American towns. The centre 
street is of a great length and width, and is 
almost filled up with buildings. All the 



141 

other streets are merely skeletons. Per- 
haps the number of iiiiuibitants nuiy fall 
short of 1,500. 

During- the late war in 1813, every house 
in Buffalo, with the exception of a l)lack- 
smith's shop, was burnt down by the Brit- 
ish and their Indian allies. In cases where 
the public good demands the sacrifice of 
private property, (e. g. theburniiigof Mos^ 
cow, which saved the Russian empire,) it 
may perhaps be done without blame; but 
when, as in the case before us, it is oifered 
lip as a sacrifice upon the aUar of Pcevenge, 
it can answer no end whatever but lo pro- 
voke a spirit of retahation. It can be no 
excuse to plead that such things are agree- 
able to the laws of war; — for if it is, tiiesc 
lawSj nursed by the worst passions in the 
human heart, are as detestable as the mind 
that first broached them was wicked and 
diabolical. If war must be, — if nations 
must go to war with each other — let the ex- 
pences and the losses be national. Let pub- 
lic property suffer, but let that of private 



^^'' 



142 



individuals be held sacred. Tt has been 
ilnily said^ 'Mhat the laurels of the warrior 
are often stained with the tears of the widow 
and the orphan. 

'I'he market for produce is excellent 
alon<^' the margin of the great lakes. This^ 
and the Genessee, has one great advantage 
over many other places in the Union, viz. 
a choice of markets. Flour is now selling* 
at nine dollars per barrel of 196 lbs., or 2s, 
\0~d. per stone. I am infortned, that it 
seldom sells for less than 2s. 2d, Corn at 
about 6s. 9d.j and potatoes at from 4s. 6d. 
to 6s. 9d, per bushel. Other things in pro- 
])ortion. In fact, there does not appear to 
be here any obstacle to the acquisition of 
wealth by the industrious farmer. True,, 
the climate is not so j)leasantas it is in many 
parts of the Union ; but it is healthy, anJ 
the soil under its influence produces excel- 
lent ciops. 

B!ifIV)lo creek enters Lake Erie just be- 
low the town. Within the mouth of this 
creek there is sufficient depth and conveni'* 



143 

ence for a considerable navy, but there \si 
no wharf but what nature has formed. A 
bar of sand across the month of the creek, 
is an impediment to the entrance ; hut it has 
been for some time in contemplation to 
erect a pier, and make some other improve- 
ments. In illustration of this subject, I 
shall, without apology, insert the following 
letter from a gentleman at Detroit. 

^' In conformity to rny promise, enclosed 
is an official statement from the Collector's 
office in this place, in relation lo your que- 
ries. 

" At BiiiTalo I was fortunate in findinor 
Captain Butler, on his way to open Grand 
River, where a company is formed for that 
purpose. Capt. Butler has made himself 
celebrated by opening eight bars from 
iNIiddleton to Hartford on Connecticut river, 
so as to admit the free passage of nine feel, 
instead of five feet, water. His plan is no- 
vel, simple, cheap, and effectual. It is 
merely to drive in piles over a sand bar, 
from the opposite sides ; to leave a suffici-. 



I4t 

ent oneniiia:, ami t1uMi fill in I)iiisli. Tlie 
first tVeshet settles tlie sand nuion<]^st it, so 
as to form a co:nplote beach, and by the 
pressure of the water through the passages. 
a permanent channel is forced open. 

*' At Buniilo the obstacles are easily re- 
moved, and a i;()od harbour and basin may 
be formed for about twenty-fivo or thirty 
thousatul dollars About six hundred feet 
from the sliore we found sand and ten and 
a half feet water; at I 463 feet, eii;hleen and 
a half feet water; the last nine hundred 
feet clay, and oood anchorage. W ithin 
the creek, abnndance of water, and room 
enouirh for the Rritisb navv. 

"' At Dnnkirk, forty-five miles west of 
ButTalo, we fontul a spacious bay, with two 
channels leading- into it, the one on the 
west, 1^2 feet water ; on ihe east, 10 feet. 
In front of the bay, natnre has formed a 
barrier of Hat rocks about fifty feet wide, 
biit, nn fortunately, it is about four feet be- 
low the surface of the lake. It is in the 
hands of vTcabhv men in Albany, who have 



145 

fcrectcd an expensive pier within the bay, 
and have laid out a town. They contem- 
plate piling stones on the rock in front. 
Should this Pje successful^ an excellent har- 
bour will be formed. 

*' From Buffalo to Dunkirk is 45 miles 
Dunkirk to Erie 45 

Erie to Grand River 75 

Grand R iver to Cleveland 30:- 195 

'' At Grand River, State of Ohio, the bar 
will be effectually removed, and a good har- 
bour (the first on Lake Erie) formed during 
this month, as Butler is there with a large 
force, and pressjing it with vigour. 

'' At Cleveland, thirty miles above Grand 
River, a bar across the entrance is the only 
obstacle to ^ good harbour; as there are 
from 18 to 25 feet water five miles up, we 
started them to go on immediately. 

'' A light-house is, now erecting at Buffa- 
lo, and another at Erie* In conclusion, as 
the steam-boat, is on the point of starting on 
this lake^ — the light-house^ erecting — har- 
bours forming— and the lake more free from 

u 



U6 

shoaTs and rocl\s than any other navigaircHi 
of a given extent; — a g'reat change is on? 
the point of taking place/*^ 

The above will serve to give some idea of 
the exertions the Americans are capable of 
making. View these improvements in con- 
nexion with that of the Grand Canal fronv 
Buffalo to Albany, and the inference will; 
be, that a most extensive trade will he car- 
ried on between the eastern ports and the 
north-western territory as soon as these 
improvements can be completed ; and as a 
natural consequence,, all the towns forming 
links in this chain of trade must rise rapid- 
ly in importance. Speculations npon such 
subjects are endless. Canals have been 
projected to unite the head waters of the 
Illinois with the Lake Michigan, antl it is 
stated as a fact, '' that a boat may sail 
from St. Mary's, proceed past Detroit, and 
through lakes St. Clair and Huron by Mr- 
chilimacinac (pronounced Mackinaw), up 
Lake Michigan, and out through the Chi- 
cago river into the river Plein^ and do>w^ 



147 

ttTie Illinois into the Mississipi, without ever 
beiii"' miloaded — a distance of inland navi- 
nation not known in tlie world elsewhere." 
Hiiould this source of communication be 
opened^ either by the route above-mention- 
ed, or, which is of infinitely greater import- 
ance, by unitini^ Lake Erie with the Wa- 
bash, a sloop navigation would be opened 
between these lakes and New Orleans. 
This would be a death stroke to Mr. Cob- 
bett's argument, in his second letter to Mr. 
Hirkbeck, when speaking of a market for 
his produce. He says, "In case of a war 
with England, what would become of your 
market down the Mississipi ? That is your 
sole market. That way your produce must 
go, or you must dress yourselves in skins 
and tear your food to bits with your hands. 
Yet that way your produce could not go, 
unless this nation were to keep up a navy 
equal to that of England. On this side the 
mountains, there are twelve hundred miles 
of coast to blockade ; but you, gentlemen 
prairie owners, are like a rat that has but 



148 

one hole to go out and come in af," &c. 
&c. Whether another *'hole" may be 
opened or not, is a secret hidden in the 
womb of futurity. The Americans have 
spirit and enterprize for any undertaking* ,• 
and when we consider, that the canal now 
forming will tend to lower the value of all 
grain shipped down the Ohio, I have little 
doubt but, if funds can be raised, those 
who are injured by the present undertaking^ 
will at least attempt to repair the injury, by 
continuing the water communication by way 
of the lakes^ in the route before pointed 
out. 

' After examining the light-house, which 
is constructed upon a new plan, the light 
beinii' reflected from a number of circuhir 
plates, we descended to the banks of the 
lake, which was extremely agitated. There 
had been a considerable storm the day be- 
fore, which had done some damage. The 
ptorms upon these lakes are sometimes very 
dangerous — the waves not running as high, 
but breaking more quickly than those in 



149 

the ocean. The more I examine the posi- 
tion of these lakes, the more I am surprized 
that their importance has not attracted more 
attention. The tonnage already employed 
on them is very great. The general depth 
of the water of Lake Erie is sufficient for 
ships of any tonnage, and it is so situated 
as to form an extensive chain of connexion 
between very distant members of the Uni- 
ted States, and, as an American has observ- 
ed, "Marine warfare has already on its 
surface exhibited all the bold and prominent 
features of a naval combat/' and (be does 
not forget to add) ''One of the most ver- 
dant of American laurels was gained on 
the face of Lake Erie." 

It has been said, '' Give the commerce of 
these lakes an outlet to the ocean, and these 
shores will rival in prosperity the shores of 
the Mediterranean." Mr. Gourlay, who 
has been for some time imprisoned by the 
orders of the Assembly of Upper Canada, 
has published, in an address to the parlia- 
mentary represeniatives of Upper CanacJ^i 



150 



** a prospectus of (lie plan of a canal from 
Lake Erie, and for improving' the naviga- 
tio!i of the St, Lawrence and the Lake On- 
linio, so tliat vessels niiglu proceed without 
iiiterrnplion from iMiglaiid to the extremi- 
ties of lakes Michigan and Superior, and 
return home the same season, instead of first 
iuishi|)ping the goods designed for Upper 
Canada, at Quehec; then inihoating and 
Marehousin<>" iliem at Montreal ; coastin<r 
tlicm to the ditcli canal, and then parcel- 
ling them out among potty craft, for for- 
warding to Kingston," &c. &c. I'he plan 
is certainly a no])le one, but from the pecu- 
liar situation of the Canadas, as colonies of 
Great Hritain, and other local circumstances, 
it will, 1 think, he some time he fore it is 
adopted. 

I'here are immense quantities of first-rate 
land in tlie vicinity of these lakes. A fine 
steam vessel, called " ^Valk-in-the-^vater,'* 
lias commenced runuinir from Bufialo to 
IMichilimackinac. It will make calls at all 
the j)Iaces of im])ortaiice in the line of its 



151 

co'irse, and will he a <^roat acquisition to flir; 
coast of the State of Ohio, as well as Michi- 
gan, and even Indiann, which comnuini- 
cates with Machinaw hy tlic Lake Michi- 
gan. It doss not appear thnt the passage 
of these lakes is ever impeded with ice. 

I have already noticed one thing; whicli 
might operate as an objection to a settle- 
ment at this place, viz. the severity of the 
climate, (althongh it is situated nearly nine 
degrees south of the lat. of London ;) — an- 
other is, that it has been, and consequently 
mny again, be exposed to the ravages of 
war. This latter objection is however on- 
ly confined to the borders of the river Ni- 
ai^ara, which connects the lakes Erie aiul 
Ontario. Should Canada ever become 
subject to, or form a part of, the United 
States, this objection will of course be done 
away with. 

July 5. — An important treaty was hoi den 
this day at Buffalo, between the deputies of 
the State which has the pre-emption right 
over some Indian reservations in this neigh- 



152 

bourhood, and theowners^ concerning' flieir 
evacuation. The town was in consequence 
filled with Fridians. Independent of the 
treaty, there would have been a great mus- 
ter of these Aborigines, as a yearly stipend, 
which is paid to the remnants of the Onon- 
doiro, the Cattarauo'a, the Tuscarora, the 
Seneca, and the Oneida tribes, as a remune- 
ration for some lands sold by them, was now 
due. Upon the whole, we admire their 
deportment. Their countenance is grave 
" — their gait stately — and their behaviour 
respectfuk They are, in general, tail, and 
remarkably well made. They are very ac- 
tive, and capable of enduring' great fatigue; 
but the scale of their strength is inferior to 
that of an Englishman. Their strength is 
perhaps more like that of a beast of prey 
than that of a beast of burden. Thev wei*e 
here all dressed in their best. The chiefs 
had, for the most part, several broad plates 
of solid silver fixed round tbeir hats and 
their arms. Several of them had great 
quantities of silver^ and shells of different 



153 

descilplions, hung over their shoulders, aad 
red sashes round their waists. Three young 
warriors thus decorated, perambulated the 
streets for a considerable time, hand in hand. 
1 scarcely ever saw finer looking men. They 
were of the tallest size, of a slender active 
make, and were very civ il and even polite 
to any they met with. 

Drunkenness is a prevailing vice aniongst 
them. For the introduction of this 
bane of society they may thank the 
wliites. After considerable enquiry, I could 
not find^that the people resident in Buffalo 
had any charge against them except this, 
viz. drunkenness. When under the influ- 
ence of this vice, their conduct is sometimes 
very disorderly and troublesome. Yester- 
day evening when walking in the park, 
which reaches from the town to the shores 
of the lake, we observed an Indian so com- 
pletely overpowered by what he had drunk, 
as to be incapable of any kind of motion. 
He was nearly in a state of nudity. The 

Athenians, who were accustomed to make 

w 



154 

Iheir slaves drunk, for the purpose of ere- 
aims: in the minds of llieir children a detes- 
tatioii of this vice, could never show them a 
more strikiii<»; lesson than tlie sight of this 
man. 

Instead of blankets, ^vhich several of the 
females and some of the lower class of males 
^vear, some had superfine English broad- 
cloth. INlany of the highest order of fe- 
males had mantles made of British manu- 
facture. Their hair is generally black and 
Tery strong, and their colour nearly allied 
to that of copper. 

I had some conversation ^vrth the chief of 
a tribe. But he is virtually degraded by 
his conduct from all authority. His name 
is Fish-hook. It was easy to see that the 
Indians were averse to the acceptance of the 
proposal for surrendering their right. They 
displayed considerable ability in the treaty. 
Red Jacket, the chief of the warriors, spoke 
above an hour Avith great ability. When 
the question was put, the proposal was de- 
cisively negatived. 



Tliis morniii!:^ was ushered ia by the 
firlnii of i»reat iinns, in tnken of the arrival 
of (lie anniversary of the Declaration of 
Independence. At many of the principal 
towns aiul cities, preparations have been 
makino; for some time for this "^reat carnival. 
It is kept up as a holiday throughout the 
Union. 

Whilst we were standini^ in the park^ on 
the north side of the town^ a bullet whizzed 
close past us. We had observed a person 
a little below us in a small marsh with a ^un 
in his hand. 

Before taking my leave of this interesting 
place, 1 will just observe, that in all proba- 
bility the carriage of goods from New York 
to the Western States w ill, in a short time, 
be chiedy by way of Buffalo, or Hamilton. 
The following extract of a petition, circu- 
lated for signatures in Cliatauque county, is 
calculated to throw some light upon this 
subject. After proving that the shortest 
and best communication from Lake Erie to 
the Ohio is by way of Fredonia, the head of 



156 

Casdasgua lake, and down the Connewan- 
tainto the Allegany, &c., they say, '' It is a 
well known fact, that a principal part of 
the goods carried to the Western States 
bordering on the Ohio, is brought from 
Philadelphia to Pittsburg, at a sum not less 
than 160 dollars per ton, whereas they 
might be carried from New York by way 
of Hudson, Mohawk, Lakes Ontario, Erie, 
and Casdasgua, down the Alleghany to 
Pittsburg, for a sum less than 100 dollars ; 
and when the Grand Canal is completed, 
for 30 dollars, saving to the owner 130 dol- 
lars per ton, and from Pittsburg to St. 
Louis (the capital of the Missouri) for an ad- 
ditional sum of 20 dollars,** &c. &c. At 
present the route by way of Hamilton is 
more frequented by emigrants. 



157 



CHAPTER V. 

Fort Erie — Birtie — Chippeway — Falls of 
Niagara — Waynes Township — Lundj/s- 
lane — Queenston, ^c. 

July 6. 

Having satisfied our curiosity, we en- 
gaged a small boat, in which we sailed across 
the lake, and once more planted our feet in 
the British dominions. 

On our entrance into an inn on the shore 
of the lake, we were surprized at the sight 
of several men brandishing cutlasses, liidi- 
an knives, &c. All was uproar. Upon 
our entrance the confusion ceased, and du- 
ring our stay with them, which was several 
hours, nothing but harmony and unanimity 
prevailed. From some captains of vessels 
belonging to Long Point, (a flourishing-set- 
tlement ab'^ut 100 miles up the lake on the 



158 

Canadian shore,) we received a pleasing' and 
iiUerestins: acconnt of the state of trade, 
value of hmdsj &c. Such reports should in 
any phice, but more particularly in America^ 
be received with *;Meat caution ; but being' 
conoborated by what we had learned from 
other quarters, we had no reason to discre- 
dit them. Tlie hind at Long Point has been 
invariably called good and fertile ; as a 
])roof of this, we are informed that not less 
than 1S,G00 busjiels of rye were, last year, 
distilled uj)on Long Point in the compass 
of seven miles scpiare. The Legislature 
have endeavoured to put a stop to the nia- 
luifactury of so many pernicious liquors at 
this place, but hitherto without much suc- 
cess. Land improved is valued considera- 
bly high. A faim of one hundred and fifty 
acres of land, with an orchard containing' 
three hundred fruit trees, a dwelling-house, 
&c. upon it, might sell for about one thou- 
J^and guineas. Produce sells high. 

Fort Erie, — The ruins of this place lie 
at the foot of the lake. Many brave mea 



159 

lost their lives here at the termination of a 
dreadful conflict, in which tlie Arnericans 
were dislod*^e(l from this fort^ of which they 
had some little time hefore gained posses- 
sion. It was impossihle to walk over this 
place without feeling those gloomy sensa- 
tions^ which every one who looks upon man 
as his brother, must feel at such sights. 
How few of those men en":ao:ed in this com- 
bat knew what they were fighting about! 

From Fort Erie we hired a liiirht one- 
horse waggon to Forsyths, near the Falls 
of Niagara, which place, after a most de- 
lightful ride down the hanks of that noble 
river, for about twenty miles, we reached 
the same evening. 

A few miles north of the ruins of the fort, 
we took a hasty survey of an estate which 
was offered for sale, the property of Mr. 
Powel, of Bertie, It consists of two hun- 
dred and seventy-three acres of good 
land, nearly one-half of which is cleared and 
under cultivation. There is a good dwell- 
ing-house and other appurtenances upon 



160 

the estate. The sitiiiition is pcciih'arly 
beautiful, being on the banks of the Nia- 
gara river, from which it is only divided by 
a good turnpike mad. A thousand guineas 
would have purchased this fine estate. 

In our route we passed over the plains of 
Chippeway, remarkable for a very bloody 
engagement fought upon them about the 
close of the last war. 13oth sides had Indi- 
ans for allies. These men are by no means 
good auxiliaries in open fight, unless they 
are hemmed in so that they cannot run 
away ; but, being excellent marksmen, they 
excel in biish-fighting. When Kentucky 
was first settling, it is well know^n the Indi- 
ans murdered or shot at the intruders when- 
ever an opportunity offered. It once hap- 
pened that one of these settlers met an In- 
dian in the woods. Each had his rifle, and 
they were both excellent marksmen. Ac- 
tuated by like motives, they each took re- 
fuge behind a tree, from which it was death 
for either of them to stir. At last, the Ken- 
tuckian taking off his hat, exposed part of 



161 



it to the sight of his watchful foe, who im^"' 
niedialely fired. The ball perforated the 
hat, but the head was safe. The next fire 
was fatal to the Indian. Such is the deadly 
accuracy of the aim of some of these marks- 
men, that it is almost infallible. But in the 
heat and confusion of an engagement, the 
Americans do not reap so much benefit 
from the skill of the riflemen as mijiht be 
expected ; it has, nevertheless, always been 
remarked, that in a battle with the Ameri- 
cans the British officers have invariably had 
more than their share of wounds. What 
numbers fell in the revolutionary war, mur- 
dered for their bravery ! Upon the whole, 
however, the American riflemen are dan- 
gerous opponents. The failure of the ex- 
pedition against Platsburg, is a proof that 
the British dare not penetrate far into the 
interior of America. The regular stand- 
ing army in the United States is about eight 
thousand men. It does not appear that the 
British were prepared for a conflict here. 
They had few regulars in Upper Canada, 

X 



16^ 



(Consequently the burden fell upon the un> 
trained militia of the country. These men* 
did their duty, — they fought hard and kept 
theen€myin fuU.play until' the termination of 
the war in Europe gave the British an op- 
portunity of sending regular reinforcements 
to their aid. 

We traversed the plains of Chippeway, 
accompanied by a guid^ who was a party 
in the engagement. 

Long before we reached this place the 
roar of the falls was distinctly heard. A 
white cloudy which hovers over the place^ 
is seen at a great distance. 

Chippeway— '\i a small village, situate' 
at the junction of a creek of tlmt name and 
the Niagara river. Small vessels mai/ come 
down to this place, which is about two miles 
above the grand falls ; but the rapids com- 
mence a little below the mouth of the 
ereek^ and with an awful sweep rush for- 
ward towards the precipice with furious 
haste. If a vessel should once get into 
this stream, no skill of the mariner, no ex- 



163 

^rtion of human powei% can save her from 
he\n^ dashed to pieces. The story of the 
poor Indian, whose canoe was cut from its 
mooring at this creek, and set afloat down 
the stream, will stand as an everlasting' me- 
mento to every one whose concern it is to 
he careful. 

There is a large island in the river above 
the last- mentioned place (Chippeway), 
which goes by the name of Grand Island. 
it is several miles in extent, and though ap- 
parently covered with wood, has several 
squatters upon it. 

There is also another small island, reach- 
ing to the brink of the precipice, called 
Goat Island. It is covered with small wood, 
and is something more than sixty rods in 
width. 

Proceeding towards the place of destina- 
tion, we passed the falls at a short distance. 
But though the rapids and the awful sweep 
of the waters, with all the surrounding sce- 
nery, lay before our astonished eyes, the 
noblest spectacle, the fall itself, lay hid from 



164 

us. After stopping a few minutes, to sur- 
vey the scene before us, we pushed forward 
and reached the end of our journey in safe^ 

July 7. — Early in the morning- we set out 
from Forsyths, (a genteel inn, built upon 
the estate adjoining- to the falls,) accompa- 
nied by a guide^ to take a closer view of the 
cataract. The noise of the falls at the inn, 
was almost deafening. 

At a considerable distance from the ob- 
ject of our curiosity, the spray, raised by the 
splashing of the waters, falls like a soft 
drizzling rain, which, forming itself into 
small rivulets, almost immediately returns 
down the precipice to the bed of the river. 

Urged onwards by the tremendous roar- 
ing of the falls, we advanced towards the 
brink of the table-rock. The scene appears 
all at once, and the sight is awful in the ex- 
treme. Although the mind is in some mea- 
sure prepared by the noise, for the prospect 
of something great and awful, and although 
J had previously endeavoured to raise my 



165 

imagination to correspond to the groatnessi 
of the scene now hefore me, — when from 
the brink of the trembling- rock I cast my 
eye over the falling mass, the shock was 
electrifying. 

** Rapid as the light 
The flashing mass foams shaking the abyss ; 
And mounts in spray the skies, and thence agaia 
Returns in an unceasing shower, which round 
With its unemptied cloud of gentle rain. 
Is an eternal April to the ground. 

How profound 
The gulf ! and how the giant element, 
From rock to rock, leaps with deUrious bound ! 

Look back ! 
Lo ! where it comes like an eternity, 
As if to sweep all things in its track, 
Charming the eye with dread — a matchless cataract, 
Horridly beautiful ! but on the verge 
From side lo side, beneath a glittering morn. 
An Iris sits, amidst the infernal surge, 
. Like Hope upon a death-bed, and, unworn 
Its steady dyes, while all around is torn 
By the distracted waters, bears serene 
Its brilliant hues with all their beams unshorn : 
Resembling, mid the torture of the scene, 
J^ove watching Madness with unalterable meii].** 



166 

We walked on the brink of the precipice 
until we arrived at the ladder^ which is sitn- 
Bted about half a mile from the i^reat fall. 
This we descended. I saw nothing in the 
descent so frightful as I had been led by the 
exaggerated accounts of some travellers^ to 
imagine I should find. This famous ladder 
docs not reach down further than from 
twelve to fourteen yards^ — the remain in*^ 
])art of the war to the edge of the river is 
very steep and extremely rugged^ bein^ 
covered with fragments of the rock and 
matty underbrush. This ladder is opposite 
the highest of the falls, called Fort Schloper 
fall, which is computed to be about 1050 
feet in width, and about 160 feet in height. 
The friction of tlie waters has carried down 
from time to time considerable fragments of 
the rocks, which, formingaheap at the bottom 
above the surface of the water, accounts for 
the circumstance of more spray rising from 
this place than from any other part of the 
fall. The next fall, which is only about 
fifteen ^cei broad, is divided from the last^ 



tnentloncd fall by a rock about tbirly yard^ 
in breadth. Tliese are on the United States* 
side of Goat Island^ between which places 
there is a communication, by means of a 
bridge^ about 400 yards in length, across 
that branch of the river which forms the 
two last-mentioned falls. At the end of this 
bridge there is a pleasant little village call- 
ed Manchester. 

Goat Island, before described, adds great- 
ly to the grandeur of this scene. It divides 
the falls before-mentioned from the Great 
Horse-shoe fall, on the Canadian side of the 
river. This fall has been reckoned from 
six to eight hundred yards in circuit. It 
will be readily supposed from its name, that 
the rock does not run in a straight direction. 
But the appellation of Horse-shoe fall is no 
longer strictly applicable. At present it 
forms an acute angle, pointing up the 
stream. The hei"'ht of the fall has been 
variously reported, some calling it 140 
others 150, and some 196 feet. 



m 

tt is demonstrable, from the broadtlt, 
depth, and velocity of the stream of this 
river, taken at the Black Rock, that upwards 
of forty millions of tons of water are preci- 
pitated over the precipice every hour. 

Such is the force with which this immense 
sheet of water is driven over the rock, that 
a considerable space is left at the bottom^ 
into which the resolute adventurer may pe^ 
netrate a few steps with safety. 

As may he imagined, the water for a con- 
sfiderable distance below the falls, appears 
to be considerably agitated ; notwnthstand- 
this, we intended to have attempted to cross 
the stream towards the bottom of Fort 
Schlopcr fall, in a strong ferry-boat which 
is kept a little below, had not the timidity 
or the idleness of a pilot, whom we had en- 
gaged to meet us there for that purpose, 
prevented us. 

Tiie British side is by far the more favour* 
able for a view of this cataract. Walkin*** 
along tlie margin of the river, we had a 



169 



complete view of each fall In rotation. 
Three-fourths of the fall ranges in a line 
parallel with the heach on which we were. 

Having spent a considerable time in ad- 
miring the majestic scenery of this great 
natural curiosity, we clambered up the rocks 
to tlie top, without the help of a ladder. 
The experiment, whether this was practica- 
ble or not, was dangerous, and perhaps fool- 
ish. These cliffs exactly correspond to 
those on the opposite side, and have doubt- 
less at some period been united. It is sup- 
posed that the rock recedes up the stream 
about seven inches every year, or about 
eighteen feet every thirty years. 

This place abounds with noxious reptiles, 
which makes it dangerous to travellers in 
the warm season. We, however, saw none 
of any description. 

Ahhough we had a journey of twenty- 
six miles to perform this day, on foot;, un- 
der a July sun, in the latitude of 43, we con- 
tinued lingering on the brink of the cliff, 
anxiously seeking for other places for ob- 



170 

servatlon, both above and below (be falls ; 
and not till the eye was quite jaded, did we 
turn our steps and proceed towards Waynes 
Township. Such is the cataract of Niaga- 
ra. 

" These are thy glorious works, Parent of Good, 
Almighty, thine this universal frame, 
Thus wondrous; — thyself how wondrous then ! 
Unspeakable, who sitt^st above these heavens, 
To us invisible, or dimly seen 
In these thy lowest works/*^ 

The Chippeway is a dull sluggish creek, 
very deep, and apparently stagnant. Its 
borders are marshy. 

We left Chippeway, and proceeded 
through the woods, which abound with wild 
animals, on foot, scarcely knowing what 
way to direct our steps ; the road being on- 
ly marked out in some places by notches in 
tlie trees. The various kinds of serpents 
that we met with served to amuse us. We 
had as yet seen few of the serpent tribe in 
America, but here we were abundantly gra- 
tified in this respect. In jumping over a 



171 

pool of vvater^ I liad nearly set my foot upon 
the first we saw. 

VVe met with few settlements in ourway^ 
and those lints we did find were mostly of 
the lowest order of architecture. AVe in- 
variably, except in one instance, called at 
these places, in order to make observation^ 
upon the manners and appearance of the 
inhabitants. 

The day being most excessively hot, and 
tiie foad intricate and dangferons, we en- 
gaged a guide, who, with two horses, under- 
took to convey us to the ^^ forks of Chippe- 
way," a distance of about sixteen miles. A 
waggon was soon made, and our guide, who 
was a very interesting young man, conduct- 
ed us through a country which had nothing 
very pleasing in its appefirauce ; the soil 
being in general not deep, the crops light, 
and the climate unhealthy. There is a large 
marsh which lays a few miles west of this 
tract, which must have some effect upon the 
climate. Besides this, the banks of the 
creek are marshy and low, and, what is 



172 

perhaps worse, the water which is used by 
the settlers on its banks^ is not good. Hence 
the frequency of agues^ &c. 

Our road was frequency so bad, that in 
England it would have been considered im- 
passable. But we were drawn by American 
horses guided by an American driver. Our 
charioteer conducted us over all these places 
in safety, and even when trees, blown down 
by the wind or by the ravages of time, lay 
across our road, we went directly over thein. 
Marvellous shocks did we often receive 
when going over these, or over the stumps 
of others which had been carelessly felled. 
We were often obliged to stop to mend our 
vehicle, which was frequently disjointed by 
the roughness of tin§ road. The docility 
and activity of these horses is very remark- 
able. Upon one occasion, the road seemed 
completely blocked up by several trees, 
wiiich lay entirely across the road, from 
side to side. There was no alternative, and 
we drove over them. And it was worth en- 
during all the shocksj to see these animafe 



173 

step over trees nearly breast hi<^h without 
any hesitation or even making a plunge or 
a false step. We had an engagement with 
a large snake of a beautifully variegated co- 
lour, called the milk-snake. This reptile is 
frequently found an unwelcome intruder in- 
to the houses and dairies of the lonely sett- 
lers, hence its name is derived. Its tail, 
which is extremely hard and sharp, is its 
chief instrument of defence. A wound 
from this is troublesome, but not mortal. 

A little before sun-set we were set down 
at the entrance of a w^ood, it being impossi- 
ble for our vehicle to penetrate any further. 
With but a feeble hope of reaching any 
place of shelter that night, we entered the 
gloomy forest, and, guided by the notches 
oiily, proceeded on a very circuitous path 
for some miles. There are manv bears and 
evolves in this forest, with abundance of 
deer; but we proceeded unmolested, save 
by the mosquetoes, which swarmed in count- 
less myriads. At length, by accident, or 
rather by the providence of Almighty God, 



174 



when the shades of evenino: were closino: 
fast around us and we could scarcely sefeour 
track, we met with the son of the man we 
Mere in search of. Our friend, Thomas 
Priestnmn, formerly of Westmorland^ is the 
owner of ahout four hundred acres in these 
woods. Of this quantity he has cleared a 
few^ fields. The quahty of the soil is tole- 
rably good, and the crops heavy. This es- 
tate was a grant from Governnient, and 
might eost in the shape of fees of office, 
about j£20 sterling. Upon I\lr. Priestman's 
farm we observed growing, hemp, pepper, 
tobacco, &c. 

His neighbour, ]\lr. George Robinson, 
owns two hundred acres, which cost him 
forty-five dollars, or about one shilling per 
acre. 

Since these 2:rants were made to the 
above-inemioned and other settlers, land 
has risen in vaUie, and now sells in this 
neighbourhood, in its wild state, at from 
4 to 20s. per acre. 



175 

Government is still holding out consider- 
able advantages to settlers in the Upper Pro- 
vince. A tract of a hundred acres is given 
to the head of each family of emigrants, and 
half that quantity to each of his progeny, 
upon certain conditions; the principal one 
beino: an obli<>ation to cultivate a certain, 
though a very small proportion of the grant, 
in a limited period. The design of this re- 
gulation is too obvious to need explanation. 

Upon application to Gilbert Robinson, 
Esq., acting Vice-Consul at Philadelphia, 
and to James Buchanan, Esq., Consul 
for the State and City of New York, we 
learned that the present grants w^ere chiefly 
upon the Credit river, near the head of lake 
Ontario. The latter gentleman, who is the 
chief agent in this place, has made arrange- 
ments with the masters of vessels, &c., so 
that the poor emigrant may be transported 
from New York to Upper Canada for a tri- 
fling expence. Many privileges are offer- 
ed, which, to those who have expended their 
capital in the voyage, are of great impor- 



176 



tance, and are often ea^^eily accepted. A 
<»'reat proportion of the settlers in Upper 
Canada are Scotch and Irish. The indus- 
trious emigrant may, without extraordinary 
exertions, realize a sufficiency for the pay- 
ment of the fees for the conveyance of the 
property from the Crown to him, in one 
season. The land is then his own. He is 
a freeman in every sense of the word 

A reservation is made for the clergy, for 
every grant made as above. Thus, if a 
settler receives one hundred acres from the 
Governor, fourteen and two-sevenths acres, 
or one-seventh of the quantity, is set out for 
the maintenance of the ministry. It is con- 
trived that all these clerical grants in cer- 
tain districts, shall be laid together, and not 
scattered all through the country, like the 
monastic gifts of former days in Great Bri- 
tain. When the lands thus set apart for 
any township are considerable, a clergyman 
is procured; if it is not of sufficient value, 
the settlers must remain without one. 



177 

An average crop of wheat is estimated 
at twenty bushels Winchester per acre — ■ 
the average price a dollar. So that a crop 
of wheat is worth £4 10s. per acre^ being 
about the sum which, including the expence 
of the labour of felling the timber^ fencing, 
sowing, &c., ever}^ acre would cost him. 
Thus the first crop will pay for the pur- 
chasCj and every other expence incurred in 
bringing the land into a proper state of cul- 
tivation. The next year his crop will cost 
the settler ihe interest of the purchase-mo- 
ney, or somelhing less thnn one penny per 
acre, — a tax of a penny per acre upon all 
cleared land, and some other small taxes, 
together with the value of the seed and la- 
bour, wear and tear, &c. 

One active man may cut down the timber 
from, and plant or sow ten acres in one sea- 
^n. This, to a man unaccustomed to it_, 
\tould be no easy undertaking, as the tim- 
ber stands very thick upon good soils. The 
axes used for this purpose are heavy, and 
being nriade in the form of a wedge, never 



178 

stick fast In the wood. With these instrtr- 
meiits it is surpriziiii;' (o see how soon a man^ 
or even a boy accnstomed to chopping", will 
fell a large tree. Our friend G. l^ cut 
down before us a beecli tree, which would 
girt about four feet, in about three minutes, 
and another, somewhat less, in two minutes. 
The white oak, which often rises with a 
clear trunk fifteen feet in circumference to 
a prodigious height, and the sugar maple,, 
which always flourishes in a bracing climate, 
abound here. The Fagiis Silvestris (beech), 
and the stately hickory, are very plentiful. 

Cattle, in this new country, generally 
support themselves by browsing in the 
woods. In the winter season trees are fell- 
ed daily, unless the snow is very deep, upon 
the tops of which the animals feed. They 
have bells upon their necks, which ringing 
incessantly, give notice to the respective 
owners in what part of the wood their cattle 
are in. Every settler knows the sound of 
his own bells. Some small flocks of sheep 
are kept here, but from the number of wild 



179 

boasts in (he forest lliey are not numerous. 
They are invariably inclosed in folds or 
pens during the night. 

Their taxes are liiirht. Here, as in almost 
every part of America, (he labour required 
for mending and making the roads, is the 
heaviest tax. A certain yearly sum is paid 
for a milch cow, an ox, a steer, a horse, &c. 
in proportion to their usefulness. By re- 
ference to an assessment roll, I find that a 
farmer who possesses 237 acres, and has of 
this cpiantity thirty-eight under cuUivation, 
pays in taxes about lO.S'. 8^d. per annum : 



s. 


D. 


For his 199 acres of uncultivated 




J and - - - 3 


n 


38 acres of cultivated do, 3 


2 


Sundries - . 4 


3i 


10 


H 



The first sum is a yearly tax of twenty- 
pence per hundred acres of wild land. — 



180 

The second sum is the duty of one penny 
per acre upon cleared do. — The third for 
cattle, &c. &c. 

The dwellings are mostly loj^ hu(s. — 
When the emigrant takes possession of his 
lot, he selects a place for his dweHing", and 
here he first puts his axe into exercise, llie 
falling of the tirst tree determines the posi- 
tion of the house. This forms a foundation, 
and the superstructure is soon raised. Per- 
haps he is ohliged to substitute oiled paper 
in the room of glass. His doors move upon 
wooden hinges. Locks he has none. In 
building his barn, he is often assisted by his 
l^eighbours (if he has any near at hand). 
These are made of round logs of a uniform 
thickness (generally about a foot), reaching 
the whole length of the building. They 
are notched at the corners and where par- 
titions are made across the building. When 
the sides are completed, holes are cut for 
the doors. The roof is covered with boards 
or other materials, and thus the building is 
completed. In this district the operation of 



181 

thrashing is perfonned by oxeti. Tiie 
thrashing* floor is generally in Ihcopen fioltl. 
IMiose who understand the meaning of timt 
humane precept " thou sha't not muzzle the 
ox that treadeth out the corn/' will know 
that the grain is trampled out of the sheaves 
by these animals going round and round 
the floor. This is easily done in these 
countries, where the weather is so fine and 
dry in the summer season. 

In traversino^ the woods we found some 
Indian wigwams, made of the bark of trees. 
In theirhunting excursions the Indians some- 
times call npon the settlers. They have the 
character of hein"' invariably civil.* 

In these excursions, the eye was occa- 
sionally relieved by the sight of some lone- 



* One of these Indians called one day upon our friend 
G. R., reqiiesting the loan of his do^ to assist fiim in 
catching a deer which he had wounded. Although a 
perfect stranger, he was entrusted with th- ; nimal. He 
found and caught the object of his search — returned 
with the dog — and rewarded the owner with a part of 
the prize. 



182 

I) cottage, with a few acres of cleflred 
Imul <\irrouiuliniv it. As these are all of a 
recent date, we had little opportunity of 
niakino- nianv observations on the health of 
the inmates. In new countries it often hap- 
])ens that (he richer the soil, if woodland, 
the more unhealthy the situation. 

Amongst these lonely settlers we found, 
what we scarcely expected to meet with 
here, a considerable share of general know- 
ledge. E'ven in this very remote part of 
the civilized world, however low his relative 
situation in lite may be, the peasant speaks 
as correctly and as free from embarassment, 
as the citizen in the midst of polished soci- 
ety. 

Tiiere is sometliing in the interior, as well 
as in the outside appearance of a log cabin, 
whicii is any thing hut pleasant; but when 
tlie wliole situation of the inmates is consi- 
dered, it may, in many respects, appear en- 
viable. An intruder is often found in state- 
ly domes, which is almost entirely unknown 
here, viz. fear of want. How many plea- 



183 

sures are embittered in the enjoyment hy 
the ;;^hastly appearance of this demon ! 

Tiiere is here ahnost a total want of 
schools and places of public worship; the 
time is probably fast approaching^ wlien 
these will become more plentiful. To those 
who value these privileges properly^ this 
consideration would be a powerful antidote 
against settling in this, as well as in any 
other new colony; — for they all partake 
more or less of the "feneral character which 
has been drawn here. 

As particular statements tend to produce 
more correct ideas, I will just observe, in 
addition to what has been said concerning* 
the price of land, that we had the choice of 
three farms offered in the most populous 
part of this township, on the banks of the 
Chippewav, about seventeen miles above its 
junction with the Niagara. The first con- 
sisting of one hundred acres, partially clear- 
ed, with a log hut upon it, for £112 sterling. 
Another, consisting of 120 acres, for the 
same rate, namely five dollars per acre. 



184 

A third, which is an old scitlemcnt, and 
occupied by the owner, consisting of 150 
acres, (two-thirds of which has hmg been 
cleared,) a good large framed dwelling- 
house, an orchard, containing 300 fruit 
trees and thirteen bee-hives, for three thou- 
sand dolhns, or £675 sterling. The high 
road runs through the middle of the last- 
mentioned estate. 

Though I he crops upon these lands are 
of an average quality, yet the soil is by no 
means good. Much of the soil in this tract 
appears to have been formed from decayed 
vegetables, the leaves of trees, &c. 

July 12. — lEscorted by the owner of the 
estates above-mentioned. Captain Shubeal 
Parke, we proceeded to Queenston, over 
some of the worst land I have yet seen. In 
our route we crossed the fields of Landis- 
lano, remarkable for a very bloody engage- 
ment with the Americans. The place 
where the [)ile was raised into which tiie 
bodies of the dead were thrown, is the most 
verdant spot in the whole plain. 



185 

■ QuEENSTON. — Though a place of con- 
siderable note, this is by no means a large 
town. Probably the number of inhabitants 
does not exceed three hundred. From its 
situation it must be a place of considerable 
note. The brave General Brock fell in a 
bloody engagement fought here. Captain 
Parke obligingly pointed out to us the 
whole plan of the fight. Every attack and 
retreat was detailed to us, while standing on 
the very spot of action. The Americans 
were defeated and driven over the river to 
Lewiston, on the opposite shore, which was 
burnt by their pursuers. War is at best a 
dismal picture — a disgrace to Christianity — • 
a promoter of famine, slaughter, rapine and 
misery. When a soldier falls, his family 
have lost a parent, a husband, a brother, or 
a son. ' 

- The river Niagara is not above half a 
mile wide here, but runs extremely rapid. 
It has cut its way through the rocks^ which 
rise to a great height on each side. Front 
the appearance of these cliffs, the siipposi- 



186 

(ion that tfie great falls have at some period 
been as low as Queenston, is warranted. 
Fort St. George and Fort Niagara are situ- 
ated a few miles below the ferry at the head 
of the Lake Ontario, of Avhich we had a fine 
view from the heights of Queenston. 

Perhaps it may be thought worthy of re- 
mark, that this day I observed at hay the 
only female which I have seen at work in: 
the fields since I landed in America. This 
old woman was a Scotch emigrant, who had 
brought her habits of industry along with 
her. But that her intellectual, were not 
quite so vigorous as her bodily powers, I 
concluded from the circumstance of her 
gravely telling me that she '* feared Ameri- 
ca and England were goin-g to war, because 
she had seen a comet the night before '1! 

There are various colonies or settlements 
in that division of Upper Canada, compre- 
hended between the Lakes Ontario, Erie, 
and Huron, particularly upon the Thames 
river and the territory of the six nations. 
We met with an English settler from the 



187 

fest-mentloned country, who was on his way 
to England for his family. He gave an en- 
couraging* account of his prospects^ and 
seemed quite satisfied with the change. To 
my knovv!edge_, many are emigrating from 
the United States to Upper Canada, being 
. induced thereto by the prospect of a more 
certain market for surphis produce. But 
the officers of the customs are very remiss 
here. Grain of every description, as well 
as cattle and great quantities of wood, are 
l)rought from the United States, to the great 
loss of the colonist as w^ellas to the Govern- 
ment of Great Britain. 

Perhaps the possession of the Canadas 
is of no material advantage to Great Britain; 
and whether their conquest hy the United 
States would be a matter of pohcy, is doubt- 
ful. A spirit of hostility to the present go- 
vernment of the Upper Province is manifest. 
Mr. Gourley, by his spirited exertions in 
favour of those who complain of the non- 
fulfilment of the promises made to them du- 
ring the war^ and his enquiries into the con- 



188 

duct of governme.nt to the new settlers, ha» 
kindled a flame which will not be easily ex- 
tinguished. That gentleman is now con- 
fined in the Niagara gaol, by the orders of 
the Assembly. Perhaps the separation of 
this, from \yhat is called the mother coun- 
try, is not so distant as may by some be 
imagined. 

We here crossed the river to Lewiston, 
It is about half a mile wide, and runs ex- 
tremely rapid. 



189 



CHAPTER VI. 



Lewiston — -Oak Orchard — -Sandy Creek — • 
Murrays — Rochester , Sgc. 

Lewiston. 

This place, which stands upon a level 
plain^ elevated a considerable height above 
the bed of the river^ is a very neat looking, 
and tolerably lar^e town. Although burnt 
in 1814 by the British, it has been rebuilt, 
and is perhaps as large and as populous as 
it was before the conflagration. Like all 
the towns on the borders, this is a place of 
great resort for smugglers. 

Flour is now selling at eight dollars per 
barrel, or 2s. 7d. perstcine. AtQueenston 
it is two-pence per stone lower. Land, as 
may naturally be expected in such a situa- 
tion, sells at a good price^ — from £b to £10 



190 

an acre. The hay harvest is now at its 
height. 

Julij 13. — Having engaged a beautiful 
liii'ht \va""on to Canandaioua, w^e set off 
this morning. These are beautiful vehicles^ 
and although wonderfnlly light, they are, 
fiom the toughness and strength of the 
>vood and the superior nature of the work- 
manship, calculated to endure great hard- 
ships. The word waggon will serve to give 
])«t a very imperfect idea of the lightness, 
Ijeauty and symmetry, of some of these car- 
riages. We had two excellent horses, (one 
before the other). We paid £2 10s. each 
for our fare. 

At a short distance east of Lewiston, we 
passed a fine Indian settlement. The land 
lie re is peculiarly rich, and the face of the 
country rolling. The proprietors are so- 
ciable and industrious. They have a church 
built by the road side, and a regular minis- 
ter. 

Our present route lay along ihe southern 
shore of Lake Ontario, at a short distance. 



191 

si^ltloin more than six or ei^lit miles, from it 
This is, <^eneraliy speaking'^ a new countrv, 
and only occupied near the great roads. 
Fruit, particularly apples and peaches, a- 
bound here, — almost every estate having" a 
large orchard. From theJr proximity to the 
lake and the Grand Canal, the carriage of 
their goods to market is attended with no 
great inconvenience. Settlers are pouring 
in on every quarter, — towns and villages 
are rising and flourishing, and every thing, 
save the wan countenance of the labouring 
peasant, indicates ease and prosperity. New 
settlers, as before observed, on rich soils, 
are subject to the attack of various diseases. 
Agues and bilious fevers most generally 
prevail. It must be allowed that the liabi- 
lity to these attacks is increased or lessened 
by local situation, habits of living, &c. 
Change of climate, where this consists only 
in a change of temperature, has seldom a 
very powerful influence on a healthy con- 
stitution. But when to this change we add 
excessive fatigue, uncomfortable houses, (ia- 



192 

sufficient perhaps to shelier tliem from the 
chilly (lamps of the night,) inferior diet, &c. 
to which inconveniencies new settlers of the 
poorer sort are often exposed, it will not 
appear strange that many have suffered ; on 
the contrary, taking into account the quan- 
tity of spirituous liquors which too many 
imprudently consume, our surprize is rather 
excited that so few are diseased. 

I would not here wish to intimate 
that this country is peculiarly unhealthy. 
Few diseases can be laid to the account of 
the change of climate, unless in particular 
instances where the change has heen very 
great. To local situation they are mostly 
attributahle. What has that man a right 
to expect, who, in a low flat country, peneK 
trates into the midst of a wood, and there 
settling, is not able to clear more than two 
liundred square yards in two years ? Those 
whose settlements arc adjoining the road> 
liave manv advanlaores over the isolated be- 
ing above described, whose visible horizon 
extends not beyond the bounds of his owt> 



193 

Estate. These advantages seem to be duly 
appreciated here, most of them being, a» 
before observed, contiguous to the public 
road. 

We passed through the eleven mile woods. 
Although our horses were very tractable, 
and our driver remarkably clever, we were 
frequently in danger of being overturned. 
The lightness of our vehicle was here of 
essential service to us, as by the motion of 
our bodies we were enabled, I may venture 
to say hundreds of times, to restore it to its 
properposition, when without this, it must in- 
evitably have been overturned by some of the 
numberless stumps which it was impossible 
altogether to avoid. An English top- laden 
heavy coach would have cut a very poor fi- 
gure here. 

The wood here is indicative of the supe- 
rior quality of the soil. Oak, hickory, ma- 
ple, and the cucumber-tree^, are most abun- 
dant. The government has refused thirty^ 
five dollars per acre for this tract in its 

natural state. 

3 b 



194 

Oak Orchard — about forty miles east 
of Lewiston^ is a thriving village, but nei- 
ther remarkable for the healthiness of its 
situation, nor the goodness of the soil in its 
vicinity. From this place to Sandy Creek, 
Murray's Township, the distance is fifteen 
miles, through a very fine country ; — rye 
ripe, — wheat nearly so, — Indian corn, the 
best we have seen, just beginning to flower. 
All the land in the vicinity of the road is 
settled and occupied, though it is evident it 
has been very recently taken possession of. 
In addition to the log houses which the 
settler has patched up for temporary use, 
neat, though seldom elegant-looking, frame- 
buildings, are rising in all directions. 

Sandy Creek. — VVe reached this place, 
fifty-six miles east of Lewiston, early in the 
evening of the first day. 

This village, which contains two or three 
good taverns and several frame-houses, is 
only three years old, but being situated in 
the midst of a very rich tract of land, it is 
enlarging rapidly. It is only two miles^ 



195 

«clistant from the great Canal^ and eight 
from Lake Ontario. It has also another 
excellency — it stands near a mill stream. 
As a proof of the value of this last-mention- 
ed privilege, [ need only observe, that we 
crossed but one running stream this day. 
These are sufficiently plentiful in the winter 
season, but are dried up by the parching 
and long continued droughts of the Ameri- 
can summers. 

Although Sandy Creek is considered to 
be peculiarly exposed to agues and bilious 
fevers, yet the flux of emigrants towards it 
is very rapid. Land, in its natural state^ 
sells in the neighbourhood for from twenty 
to thirty shilHngs per acre ; where the trees 
are cut down, fences made, and framed- 
buildings erected, the price is from ten to 
twelve pounds. From the quantity of new 
comers, it will be readily concluded, that 
the price of grain will not be very low. 
The average price of wheat exceeds a dol- 
lar per Winchester bushel. Corn from 70 
4o 100 cents^ &c. &c. 



196 

Rye harvest commencing. 

Julij 14. — At ^\ A. iVI. we again mount- 
ed our vehicle^ and pursued our eastern 
course. 

Seven miles east of Sandy Creek we 
found another flourishing colony, called (for 
want of a better name) Murray's Four Cor- 
ners, situated at the junction of four roads, 
in Murray's Township. These new settle- 
ments generally take their name from some 
local circumstance, as in this instance ; 
which title they generally retain, until their 
rising importance makes it necessary for 
them to claim the privilege of villages, 
>vhen they assume different names. 

Here all the front lots adjoining each of 
the roads, are occupied. The canal is only 
one mile distant, and the Lake Ontario nine. 
Farms partly improved, with b^ildiij^Sj^^J^^^^ 
^ebought for about £6 per acre. 

The land is of the first-rate quality, and 
bears abundant crops. The orchards, more 
particularly the peach orchards, are very 
lai'ge, and in a few years great quantities 



197 

of cyder and perry will be- Wade for ex- 
portation. 

Rochester. — This is a large tliriving 
town, consisting* of several well-built streets. 
It is situated seven miles from the lake, up- 
on the Genessee river, and is the depot of 
the merchandise of all (he circumjacent back 
country. The navigation of the stream is 
interrupted by the celebrated falls, which 
area little below the town. There are se- 
Teral water mills in the town, of different 
descriptions, upon one of which, a grist 
mill, I observed (what indeed is no uncom- 
mon sight here) the words ^'^cash for wheat 
or corn,** in letters nearly a yard long. The 
land in the neighbourhood is of inferior qua- 
lity, and poorly cultivated. From the num- 
ber of store-houses, warehouses, &c., I con^ 
elude that Rochester is no inconsiderable 
place. 

At about two miles distance from Roches^ 
ter, we enjoyed a view of one of the most beau- 
tiful scenes in nature. The Genessee river, 
after rolling through a wide extent of fertile 



198 

country, as it approaches the lake becomes 
turbid and rapid ; its banks deepen, and 
suddenly it plung-es down a precipice of 
ninety-six feet. From this cataract it has 
ploughed its channel to an enormous depth, 
through at least four different strata of solid 
rock. About two miles onward, it takes a 
sort of preparatory leap of about twenty 
feet, and immediately after dashes down 
seventy feet into a frightful chasm. Here, 
on the eastern bank, stands the beautiful 
village Carthage. '^I'his place, in Ontario 
county, is connected to Genessee county by 
a bridge, which crosses the gulf just men- 
tioned a little below the fall ; and which is 
in itself, perhaps, one of the greatest artifi- 
cial curiosities in the world. As the pas- 
senger stands upon it, and casts his eye a- 
round him, ho is forcibly reminded of Mil- 
ton's celebrated causeway, athwart the re- 
g^'ons of night and chaos. He beholds an 
arch three hundred and fifty feet chord, 
spanning the everlasting chasm, and Testing 
itjs extremities on abutments of solid rock. 



199 

which rise with a front nearly perpendicu- 
lar to an awful height. 

The height of the arch is 210 feet. 

Total length of the bridge 718 do. 

Span of the arcli - - - 352 do. 
The bridge is perfectly level. From the 
centre we had a delightful view of the falls 
above. 

From Rochester eastwardly^ the soil for 
about twenty miles on our route, is of a 
sandy nature. The crops are very poor. 

Oats are now selling for 9s, currency per 
bushel, Winchester, equal to 40s. 6d. ster- 
ling per quarter. Rye harvest general. 

A considerable part of our way from 
Lewiston to Canandaigualay on "the ridge 
road.*' This ridge is a great curiosity, to 
account for the formation of which has puz- 
zled many philosophers. It is about 150 
miles in length, and is elevated from four to 
sixteen feet above the adjoining lands. Its 
average width is about thirty yards ; at some 
places being only five or six, in others a 
hundred yards in width. 



200 

Prom the materials of wlilcli this ridofe i^ 
composed, it is demonstrable that it is not 
of primitive formation. Although it runs 
nearly parallel to the shores of the lake, it 
may not have been formed, as has been ima- 
gined, by the waves thereof, — because fine 
earth mixed with sand and <^ravel, which in 
some places are found to compose this ridge, 
is seldom seen in banks formed by conflict- 
ing waves. In some places it is formed 
of fine sand ; in others of fine loam inter- 
mixed with gravel. Many conjectures have 
been formed as to the origin of this and si- 
milar ridges, to each of which a variety of 
objections might be brought. One thing 
is evident, — that they owe their origin to 
some great natural commotion. 

The ascent at the north side is generally 
steep ; and the greatest height of the ridge 
is near that extremity ; while the descent 
towards the south is long and gradual. 

We reached Canandaio:ua about 7 P. M. 
having travelled, with ease and pleasure, 
from Lewiston, on the banks of the Niagara 



201 

river, a distance of 110 miles, in thirty-six 
hours, with the same two horses. 

Juli^ 15. — This morning, in a ramble in- 
to the country, we Avere entertained with 
the sight of four Americans mowing grass. 
The blades of their scythes are very short, 
as also the shaft, which is twisted almost in- 
to the form of an S. The mowers follow 
each other round the field, and each man has 
his own stroke. They appear to be poor 
workmen. They generally^ both in raow^ 
ing and ploughing, begin at the outside, 
and in going round and round, end in the 
middle of the field. 

The soil appears to be of a strong marly 
nature. Although the agriculture is in the 
poorest style^ the crops are above medio- 
crity. 

Whilst waiting for dinner at Geneva, 

we reviewed a company of militia, who had 

assembled for training in the square. The 

riflemen were clothed in green ; — the rest 

of the men were dressed as fancy or ability 

dictated. 

2 c 



g02 

Union Springs. — This village, situate 
upon the banks of the Cayuga lake, six 
railes east of the great bridge, has derived 
its name from two fountains, about SOQ 
yards apart, with streams sufficient for mills. 
It contains from twenty to thirty houses. 
The importance of these springs, and their 
usefulness to the surrounding country, may 
be estimated from the fact, that there is 
erected on the smaller spring, a fulling mill, 
which dresses in one season about 15,000 
yards of cloth ; — carding machines, which 
wrought into rolls, last summer, 18,000 lbs. 
of wool ; — and a saw mill, (assisted in its 
operation by a small brook turned into the 
basin of the spring,) which in the same season 
sawed 60,000 feet of boards and scantling. 
Upon the larger spring is erected a grist 
mill, 30 by 34 feet, — three and a half sto- 
ries, with two run of stones, &c. It isr 
stated to be capable of grinding 200 bush- 
els of grain per twenty- four hours. These 
streams never suffer any injury from drowths 
or frosts. 



203 

To o'ive some idea of the commerce of 
this lake, 1 subjoin a statement furnished by 
Mr. Williams, of this place. 

'' In the last six years there have been 
launched on Cayuga lake seven schooners, 
carrying from fifty to eighty-five tons each. 
Five of the laigest have descended Seneca 
river to Lake Ontario. There are novi^ on the 
lake about thirty vessels and boatS;, carrying 
from eighteen to fifty tons. 

'' Boats are generally employed in trans- 
porting flour, pork, pot-ashes, &c., to She- 
nectady and Oswega falls. Their return 
loads are merchandise from the former 
place, or salt from Onondaga. 

'' Schooners are employed in freighting 
plaster from the quarries to the head of the 
lake ; from whence they bring large quan- 
tities of pine lumber (timber). In one sea- 
son there has been received at Ithica, and 
at Port L' Orient at the head of the lake, 
9,000 tons of plaster, and 4,500 barrels of 
salt ; the greater part of which was trans- 
j>orted by land to Owego (about twenty- 



204 

nine miles south-east of Ithica), and from 
thence in arks down the Susquehannah. 

'' The extensive quarries of plaster along 
the shores of this lake in Aureiius, the salt 
spring's along its outlet, the forests of valu- 
able pine about its inlets, the fertility of the 
soil in its vicinity, the salubrity of its situa- 
tion, and, above all, its proximity to the 
Susquehannah river, have already made its 
waters the medium of a profitable trade ; 
and the encreased facility of communication 
with the North river, when the Grand Ca- 
nal shall be completed, will undoubtedly 
make it a still more important link in the 
chain of trade.*' 

I have been the more particular in my 
enquiries and remarks with respect to the 
situation of favourite places, in a commer^ 
cial point of view, from a consciousness that 
in America, perhaps above all other coun- 
tries, the eligibility of any situation depends 
in a great measure upon the facilities which 
It may be found to possess, for the convey- 
ance of goods and merchandise^ — when com^ 



205 

bined with other advantages, as fertility of 
soil, &c. When the permanency of local 
fidvantages can be secured by a free inter- 
course with distant pUices/ by means of na-r 
vigation, the situation has an infinite advan^ 
tage over those settlements where the con^ 
trary is the case. 

The land between East Cayuga and Uni^ 
on Springs is of superior quality, and the 
crops (particularly of wheat and timothy) 
extremely heavy. We could hear of no 
farms for sale, but the general price may be 
estimated at about £7 sterlin^i^ per acre, 
buildings included. 

Julj/ 16.— We pursued oOTJourney through 
a beautiful country, by way of Levana, a 
small village, pleasantly situated on the 
banks of the lake, but retarded in its im- 
provement by the growth of its neighbour/ 
Aurora. At the last-mentioned place we 
made a luscious breakfast upon milk — a be- 
verage which we could never purchase when 
travelling as gentlemen, but which, as hum? 



206 

1)le pedestrians, Vie could easily procure to 
the extent of our ^vislles. 

We found that since the 2nd inst, (when 
^^e left this township) a considerable change 
had taken place in the prog-ress of vegeta- 
tion. Pumpkins, which then had scarcely 
begun to shoot, now extended several yards. 
Some of the fields of corn were in full 
flower. This corn, which is planted from 
the 10th to the 25tli of May, is reaped in 
October. Our friend ^Ir. K/s crop, this 
year, is estimated to average sixty bushels 
per acre, independent of twenty or thirty 
cart-loads of pumpkins from every acre. 

This day we had an offer of a beautiful 
estate of one hundred acres, with a 2:ood 
dwelling-house, orchard, &c., for about 
£W0 sterling. 

The only farm which we have as yet 
heard of as being let for a yearly rent, was 
let here lately for about 16s. per acre. 
When this is compared with the price of 
land, the rent may appear extravagantly 



207 

hig"h ; but when we take the real value of 
money in this country into consideration, 
our surprize will cease. So scarce is this 
useful article at present, that fourteen per 
cent, is a common rate of interest; and I 
am assured by an acquaintance, that he has 
occasionally received even fifty per cent, 
per annum. Although the rate of usury is 
fixed by the government, the law is so slack 
that means of evading* it are found without 
difficulty. The banks, I believe, generally 
allow six per cent. Those who contem- 
plate an emigration to this country, will do 
well to take this into their accounts of pro 
and con, as their circumstances in this re- 
spect may happen to be. 

Turnips (Ruta Baga) are getting into 
partial use in this neighbourhood, — chiefly 
throu2:h the exertions of Mr, Cobbett. 

Timothy, as has been before observed, 
flourishes greatly in the Western country. 
It grows here in amazing thickness to the 
height of four feet. The pastures look 



20g 

Well, and this grass is celebrated for its tiu° 
tricions quality. 

Mr. Kelletownsa pasture of ninety-eight 
acres, which has never had a plough put 
into it. Whilst we were surveying this fine 
tract of land, a person appeared with a bag 
of salt, which it is the practice of graziers 
to give to their cattle al)out once a week. 
Immediately the whole drove w^as in an up- 
roar^ scampering and bellowing as if they 
were all run mad. As the man approached 
us, I really apprehended some danger, from 
what appeared to be their rage, but which, 
in reality, was only a demonstration of their 
joy. The salt being laid down in handfuls, 
was most voraciously devoured by the oxen. 
Such was their greediness for it, that they 
licked up the soil to the very roots of the 
grass, as long as a taste of salt could be 
found. 

The farmers find it necessary to throw 
salt upon the hay when it is put up in mows, 
stacks, &c , strewing a quantity between 
every layer. 



§09 

This liav, wliich is intended for the w!ft- 
tierage of their cattle, is for the most part 
set up in solitary stacks in different fields. 
Around these, rails are put so close that the 
cattle can only barely pull the hay through 
them. By this means they are also prevent- 
ed from wasting; the fodder. Thou<^h the 
winters are severe, yet the cattle (milch 
cows excepted) are seldom housed. They 
have access to the farm yard, sheds, &c. 
but are suffered to run at liberty. In an- 
swer to our objections to this plan, that 
much manure would be lost, we were de- 
sired to consider that we were not in Eng- 
land, where a great quantity was indis- 
pensably necessary to the landholder. Here 
a small quantity suffices. 

Cattle which are bought in the Genes- 
see at a comparatively low rate, are fed 
here, and driven to the Eastern markets. 
In driving to New York via Newburg, a 
distance of 250 miles, the expence is three 
dollars per head in the winter, and half that 

price in the summer season. 

2 D 



2ia 

Some orchards here are of a consicIerahTe 
size — from six to twelve acres. It is not 
unfrequent for farmers to have 300 bushels^ 
of apples in one season, from which g^reat 
quantities of cyder are made^ 



^11 



CHAPTER VII. 

Indian Fields- Mica — Oswega-Binghamp* 
ton or Chenango Point — English Settle- 
ment- — Mount Pleasant — Bethel — Monti- 
cello — - Mamakaling — Blooininghurg"-^ 
Montgomery — Newhurg, S^c, 

July 26. 

Vi^E took our departure from this highly 
interesting place (Scipio)— our course south, 
towards Itliica^ in the township of Ulysses, 
at the head of Lake Cayuga. 

This tract is tolerably well settled, and 
(much of the timber being cleared away) 
is considered very healthy. The face of 
the country is extremely uneven ; — so much 
so, as to render, in many places, the opera- 
tions of the agriculturist extremely labo- 
rious. The soil in Genoa, Salmon creek, 
and Indian fields, is good and fertile. To- 



212 

wards Ludlow- ville the quality is not above 
mediocrity, — often dry, light and sandy. 

LuDLOTF-FiLLE — stands in a low valley^, 
down which the Salmon creek, a small but 
rapid stream, pursues its devious way. The 
gloomy pine hills, rising to a great height 
on every side, and the falls of the creek at 
the entrance of the town, give it a roman- 
tic appearance. This being the depot of a 
well-settled country, there is an appearance 
of much trade. 

Near this place we were shown a farm 
lately bought for five dollars per acre, 
which now bears upon it grain worth thirty 
dollars per acre. 

A tremendous thunder storm commenced 
whilst we rested here, accompanied by a 
deluge of rain, which rendered the roads to 
Ithica rather unpleasant for travelling. 
The roads here are bad. The soil of Ithica 
is generally poor, and covered with shrubby 
oak and pine. Towards the head of the 
lake, the road passes close under a water- 
fall about sixty feet in height. This m^Xi 



213 

has been diverted out of Its course, and 
made to run down a steep gravelly hill, 
drivin*^ along by its rapidity great qnanti- 
tities of stones, which it has deposited in aa 
otherwise impassable morass — thus making 
a good road. 

Ithica — is about eleven years old, and 
contains a beautiful academy, several ele- 
gant public buildingSj with about 150 neat-- 
looking houses, and about 1,000 inhabitants. 
The streets are well planned, but not being 
paved, and the situation being rather low, 
are extremely disagreeable in wet weather. 

We observe few siii^ns above the doors of 
taverns without the eagle. At this place 
we noticed upon one of these boards the re- 
presentation of an eagle mounted upon the 
back of a lion, whose eyes it was employee^ 
in picking out. This observation, though 
trifling in itself, may serve to throw some 
httie light upon the character of this peo^ 
pie. Jealousy of Old England, is a pre-* 
vailing feeling. When a war with her is 
expected, the breast of an American seeiim 



214 

to glow with an ardent desire to meet so no- 
ble a foe. A war with Spain is confidently 
anticipated, but the name of a Spaniard on- 
ly excites contempt. 

It ought however to be remembered here, 
that the track of a traveller is but a line drawn 
through the country. The manners and 
customs, and to a certain degree the dispo- 
sitions, of these enterprizing people, vary 
considerably. 

The reports of travellers, in giving the 
character of a people, should be received 
with caution. Taverns are not always the 
best places for the acquisition of knowledge. 
The Americans revolt at the idea of those 
loungers which infest the taverns, in some 
l)articular districts of this country, being 
considered as representatives of the great 
mass of the peo[)1e. In some of the princi- 
pal inns, more particularly in young flou- 
rishing towns, the society to be met with 
is very valuable. It is the practice of law- 
yers, attorn ies, merchants, &c., to lodge at 
fcjuch places^ which are generally the best 



21& 

built houses in the town. The rinffino' of 
a hand-bell is the signal that dinner, supper, 
&c. are ready. At no place which I have 
yet seeHj is it usual to take more than three 
meals a day. 

This place being advantageously situated 
at the head of the lake, which is bounded 
by a country remarkable for its fertility, 
seems destined to become a town of some 
importance. 

Julij 27. — We left this flourishing place, 
and proceeded to take a survey of a farm of 
200 acres in the vicinity. The situation 
was high and healthy — the soil j^mj/, i. e, 
not deep nor strong. One hundred and 
thirty acres of this are nearly clear of 
stumps, and now bear good crops. There 
is a tolerably good dwelling-house, with two 
barns, orchards, &c., upon the premises. 
The price demanded was £711 sterling. 
The value of produce varies considerably, 
according to the seasons and the demand 
abroad. At present, wheat flour is worth 
about 2s. per stone. This being compara- 



21 6 

lively an old country, the price of labour is 
moderate ; — about one-third higher than in 
the North of England. 

OswEGA. — To this place we passed 
through a poor, hilly, piny, dry country;--.- 
Uncleared, except in the vallies, the roads 
very bad, and the settlers few. J fere we 
first enjoyed a sight of the rapid Snsque- 
liannah, which at this place is not more than 
100 yards wide. 

From Oswega we shaped our course east- 
ward, by the side of the river. The soil in 
this tract is not good, with the exception of 
some low holme-lands near the river. An- 
extensive mass of pine timber, rising iii 
gloomy grandeur to a prodigious height, 
seems to be the principal feature in the face 
of the country towards the head waters of 
this river. This land, when cleared, seems 
favourable for the culture of barley and 
oats, some crops of which are ready for the 
sickle. The pine (fir) here grows from 
100 to 150 feet in height, and will girt near- 
ly as much at fifty feet from the ground as 



217 

at tlie boltom. Trees in general seem to 
J)reserve their thickness to a surprizing 
height. This circumstance may be account- 
ed for by the peculiar fineness of the cli- 
mate. 

There are many lumberers in this wild 
part of the Union. As the American inter- 
pretation of this word varies considerably 
from its common acceptation in England, 
it may be necessary to explain its meaning 
here. Wood in its rough state^ and more 
particularly fir^ is called lumber. As there 
is a good market for timber in the Chesa- 
peake, but little or none here, many people 
find employment in cutting down these 
trees, and lashing them together in the form 
of large rafts. Being made in a sitiiatioa 
which is below high water- mark, as soon as 
the freshets (floods) commence they mount 
these rafts, and, being provided with great 
store of provisions, &c. will thus float down 
the most rapid rivers several hundreds of 
miles. They return by land, and being, 
generally speaking, men of loose habits, it 



9 



E 



218 

often happens that the money which they 
receive for then* merchandise, only barely 
suffices to brino' them home airain. So ea- 
sily do men reconcile themselves to such 
pursuits and such an extensive field of ac- 
tion, that these men will converse with the 
greatest sang- froid^ of a voyage made in 
the above manner, of fifteen hundred miles 
from home. These lumberers are, gene- 
rally speaking, the most ferocious part of 
the population of America. 

BiNGHAMPTON — commonly known by 
the name of Chenango Point, is situated at 
the junction of the rivers Chenango and 
Susquehannah. The former is crossed at 
the entrance into the town, by a bridge of 
thirteen arches. The town is handsomely 
situated, regularly planned, and well built; 
and seems destined to rise, though proba- 
bly by slow degrees, to be a place of consi- 
derable size and importance. It contains 
about fifty houses, two churches, &c. &c. 
Flour now sells at twelve dollars per barrel, 
or Ss. \0^d, per stone. Corn at one-eighth 



219 

of llie above price. Wheat will be consi- 
derably lower after Die new crop is taken 
off, but the average throu«^h the year is 
about 6s. 9d. sterlini^ per Winch, bushel. 
Oats are worth now from 27 to 29s. per 
quarter; in the fall 15 or 16. The peculi- 
ar situation of Bing'hamj)ton^ in the midst of 
a wild uncleared country, will account for 
the high price of these, as well as other ar- 
ticles of provision. The great variation of 
tiie prices in different seasons, argues a want 
of capital in the grower, notwithstanding 
the many privileges which he seems to en- 
joy. I could not hear of any British settlers 
in this part of the country, although, from 
the high price of provisions, and the com- 
parative lowness of that of labour, there ap- 
pears to he good grounds for saying, that an 
industrious farmer would run little risk in 
settlins^ in this nei2:hbourhood. 

We spent a delightful day in rambling- 
round the adjacent country. We had a 
farm of 216 acres, situated about one mile 
from Binghampton, offered to us for twenty- 



220 

five dollars per acre. The State road runs 
through it; and the nohle Susqiiehannah 
washes one of its sides. About one-half of 
this estate has been under cultivation a con- 
siderable length of time ; — the other moity is 
covered with pines, which are valuable here^ 
The soil of the former is very deep and fer- 
tile. In sinking a well near the dwelling- 
house, the soil (chiefly alluvial) was ob- 
served to be seven feet deep ; the sub-soil 
the same depth of black sand ; below this, 
a spongy sandy gravel. There is also a 
brick-kiln upon the estate. In the freshets, 
the river frequently overflows that part of 
the estate which is under cultivation, to the 
depth of a foot. But as these floods are re- 
gular and periodical, the farmer is always 
aware of their approach, and con.^equently 
(as they never come in the summer season) 
suffers no real damage. lu general, these 
ebbings and flowings of the rivers, by leav- 
ing water to stagnate in marshy grounds, 
are productive of disease. I could not, how- 
^ver^ learn that this was considered an an- 



221 

healthy situation ; and, upon the whole, 
should have little hesitation \\\ fjr'w'inu: a 
most decided preference to an estate of this 
description, which mii^lit probably iiave been 
purchased for £1,000, over one completely 
covered with timber, without a house of any 
description, and without any society in the 
neii^hbourhood, at the rate of one dollar per 
acre. 

There is one fatal rock upon which many 
emigrants have strtick. So many have un- 
warily engalphed themselves by the pur- 
chase of too much land, that every lure is 
used to entice the monied emiijrrant to re- 
lieve those embarrassnients, created by the 
very proceeding he is now tempted to adopt. 
The probable rise in the value of land, is 
urged with great force. But where one 
man, by the judicious investment of capital 
in a large tract of wild land, has become 
rich, twenty have grown so by the applica- 
tion of the same capital to the complete cul- 
tivation of a smaller quantity. '"'The grasp- 
ing' at wide spaces of soil^ is a natural con- 



222 

sequence of the great expanse upon which 
men exist in new settlements. The ac- 
cumulation of land assumes the madness of 
avarice. Land is possessed not from any 
])rospect of cultivation^ but from vanity." 

It has been asserted^ and cannot perhaps 
be successfully contradicted, ''that within 
the last twenty years^ no subject has been 
more productive of ruin than indiscreet 
land purchases.*' Instances are not rare, 
where the effects of making a hasty pur- 
chase, are seen and felt through life. The 
t'xpence of the purchase of a tract of wild 
land is comparatively little. The cost of 
clearing and fencing, is not unfrequently 
ten times that of the original price of the 
ground. In order to set this matter in its 
true light, I will suppose a case. A moni- 
ed emigrant purchases a lot of 200 acres. 
For this, he lays down a sum of 800 dollars. 
lie is not able to chop much himself, and 
therefore has to hire hands, who, at the rate 
of twelve dollars per acre, will cut down 
the timber, make worm fences, pile up the 



223 

rest, and burn it, from 100 acres, in lh(* 
course of three or four seasons. We will 
allow liim to clear awav the remainder at 
his leisure. The land that lias gone through 
the above process, will then, at a moderate 
calculation, cost him 16 dollars per acre, 
A dwellinor-house will cost him 500 dollars. 
A barn and corn-crib a considerable sum. 
At the end of four years, we find him pos- 
sessed of a farm of 200 acres, one half of 
which is still covered with timber, the other 
with stumps, and full of roots. He has en- 
dured numberless privations. He would 
get no crop the first year, and consequently 
would have every necessary to purchase. 
He has lived three vears in a \o% hut ; and 
has been at the expence of 

Dollars. £. S. 

800 or 180 for the purchase, 

1200 or 270 for clearing and fenc- 

in-i' 100 acres, 

20 or 4 16 for a log hut, 

500 or 112 10 for a frame-house, 

350 or 78 15 for a framed barn and 

■ corn-crib. 

2870 or ^Vo 15 



g24 

Perhaps the value of his crops of corn would 
be equal to the amount of the interest of 
his capital and the expence of putting in 
his crop, &c. 

This calculation is made for the British 
emigrant^ who arrives in this country vs^ith- 
out any family of his own to render him 
any material assistance. My design in 
making it is^ to show that it is very possi- 
ble for the emigrant of limited capital, to 
get into such a sitfiation by the purchase 
of wild land, by reckoning only the cost 
price, or not allowing a sufficient sum in 
his calculation of pros and cons, for the 
breaking up his ground, and making it ara- 
ble : that he mav struo:ole w ith difficulties 
all his life, without beins: able to wade 
through them. The rise in the value of 
land, so loudly boasted, is here partly ac- 
counted for. We often hear of estates, 
wliich would now sell for ten times their 
original cost, twenty years ago. But when 
every thing is taken into the account, it will 
sometimes be found that the estate is only 



225' 

worth the price of the labour bestowed up- 
on it pUis the amount of the purchase-mori 
iiey. III many situations 1 have no doubt 
the real vahie has encreased rapidly; but 
in general the advance is far from being all 
clear gain. 

With a capital equal in amount to the 
sum above-mentioned^ another emigrant 
purchases a cleared estate of 100 acres, ina 
well settled and healthy country, with a good 
dwelling-house, out-buildings, orchard, &c. 
besides having a considerable sum left for 
stocking his farm, &c. I leave the impar-,? 
tial reader to look at the respective situa- 
tions of these two settlers. The contrast, I 
am persuaded, will, to an Englishman, ap- 
pear striking. 

The emigrant who intends purchasing 
land, ought to be extremely careful in mak- 
ing his calculalions. As before hinted, in 
timbered land, the original purchase-money 
is a small item in the expence or cost of the 
estate. Stock, it is true, will cost materially 

ie.ss than in England, but labour is high, and 

9 V 



226 

a- reserve ought always, if possible, to he 
ready for any exigency. In prairies, tlie 
expence of breaking up will be considera- 
bly less. But here, it may be observed,, 
though there may be little or no expence 
for felling timber, yet the expence of build- 
ing and the price of every kind of labour, 
is greater than in the former case. 

It will not be denied that the Americans 
are the most enterprising people in the* 
world. Possessing an ardent thirst for re- 
nown, and a restless desire of acquiring great 
attainments by new and untried means, — 
they are perpetually making new efforts and 
new experiments. Hence they are conti- 
nually making fresh treaties with the Abori- 
gines; — pushing forAvards into countries 
hitherto unsettled or unoccupied, except by 
the Indians ; — planning and making canals, 
&c. &c. Acting under the influence of 
this enterprizing spirit, they have been 
from time to time making such improve- 
ments in the art of ship-building, and par- 
ticularly of steam-vesselsj that for symmetry 



227 

mnd beauty, they are equalled by few ; and 
for swiftness of sailing, by no vessels what- 
ever.* 

Near the line of boundary between the 
States of New York and Pennsvlvania, we 
crossed the Susquehannali, over a wooden 
bridge of eig-ht arches, or rather a bridge 
supported by as many pillars. This bridge 
stands at least twenty feet higher than the 
surface of tlie water at this time, and yet it 
is no uncommon tiling in the freshets of the 
river for the whole to be completety inun- 
dated. 

** Innumerable streams 
Tumultuous roar ; and far above its banks 
The river lift.*' 



* It v^^IU scarcely be credited, that there are now 
employed and running upon the Mississipi and the Ohio, 
steam-boats, which in the aggregate will carry near fif- 
teen thousand tons burden. When we take into this 
account those which run upon the great Northern lakes, 
the Long Island Sound, the Hudson, New York Bay, 
the Delaware, the Chesapeake, and southward and west- 
ward to New Orleans, it must excite our astonishment 
at the amazing powers of euterprize and talent maui- 
Rested by these people, , . 



The Siisquelianiiab county is, generally 
speakin*^, a very uneven, hilly, stony, roiin h, 
beechy tract of land, and but partially sett- 
led. Its chief recommendation is its being- 
well adapted by the nature of the soil, which 
seems favourable for the growth of grass, 
for breedino^ cattle for the New York and 
Philadelphian markets: — but the face of 
the country is terrifying to an Englishman. 

A company of Englishmen at New York 
have purchased a considerable tract of land 
from a Mr. Rose, situated near the Silver 
Lake, Montrose. This they olTer to re-sell 
to their countrymen upon very moderate 
terms. They have bought it (say they) 
not from any s[)eculation for gain, but 
solely through a desire of doing something 
beneficial for their brother emigrants, who 
are too apt, in straying over the country 
in search of some elysium, to squander 
away that which might be of essential ser- 
vice when applied to a better purpose, lii 
order to do this effectually, some men were 
appointed to search through the country for 



fi situation suitable to tluiir views. Tlds 
was at length selected and secured, and the 
land is now. offered to purcluisersat five and 
six dollars per acre, according- to its local 
situation. 

In order to persuade emigrants to settle 
here, a hook has hecn published by a Mr. 
Johnson, under the patronage of the *'''So- 
eiety/' which paints in glowing colours the 
advantages to be derived from such a plan ; 
deprecating in equally strong terms the 
idea of wandering so many hundred miles 
in search of Hirkbeck's British settlement. 
In proof of his assertion that the Susque- 
hannah is preferable lo the Illinois settle- 
ment, he maintains, that when wheat is 
worth three-quarters of a dollar per bushel 
at the latter place, it is worth one and a half 
at the former ; — and that Indian corn, which 
will only sell for 21 cents (ab an lie/.) at 
the Bolton prairie, will fetch a dollar (4^. 
6^.) at Montrose. Oats are woith two-fift'is 
more; — butter, four-iifleenths ; — cheese, 
thr,ee:fifihs ; — and fowls one-fiftli more, iu 



230 

the Eastern settlement. Labour^ of course, 
can be had lower, from the proximity of the 
great landing* places^ New York and Phi- 
ladelphia. 

He asserts further, that the rent, taxes, 
tithes, manure, and stock of a farm of 100 
acres in England will purchase double the 
quantity of land in this country with 100 of 
it cleared, and put the stock upon it. His 
calculations are as follow : 

Rent, Taxes, Stock, ^c, for 100 acres 



in Engl 


land. 










£. 


S. 


1 
J 


Dollars. 


Rent 


200 




or 


889 


Taxes & Poor Rates 


50 




or 


222 


Tithes 


20 




or 


88 


^Manure 


20 




or 


88 


12 Cows 


156 




or 


693 


60 Sheep 


67 


10 


or 


300 


4 Horses 


100 




or 


444 


6 Young Cattle 


40 




or 


176 


Waggon and Cart 


50 




or 


222 


Ploughs & Harrows 


10 




or 


44 


Geering, &c. 


18 




or 


80 


4 Hogs 


9 




or 


40 



740 10 or 3286 



231 

The reader will observe that Mr. J. has 
made a mistake in some of the items of 
the above statement. Let the question 
simply be, — is he rig'lit or nearly so, in the 
sum total required for capital in the pro- 
per management of such farm plus the a- 
mount of the yearly rent? 

American Account, 

Dollars. £. 

200 acres of land, |^ clear- 
ed, in the Susquehannah 
county, with a farm-house 
and buildings upon it would 

cost - - - 2000 or 450 

J 2 Cows - - 240 or 54 

60 Sheep - - 120 or 27 

4 Horses at 70 dollars 280 or 63 

6 Youn^ Cattle - 80 or 18 

Waggon and Cart - 222 or 50 

Ploughs and Harrows 44 or 10 

Geering - - 80 or 18 

4 Hogs - - 40 or 9 



3106 or 699 

In the first item of the latter calculation, 
the author has made a capital blunder. 



232 

According' to a statement in anotlier parf of 
his elaborate work, (and which statement' 
Mill no doubt be the lowest that could be' 
made,) it is calculated that clearing and 
fencing' costs per acre 12 doilars. Taking' 
this for our price, the clearing and fencing 
of 100 acres will cost 1,200 dollars or £270 ; 
the purchase of 200 acres at the lowest 
rate 5 dollars per acre, 1000 dollars, or 
£225. So that hereis a cost of 220 dol- 
lars, independent of the expence of build- 
ing the farm-house and offices, which would 
Cost 800 more; — to say nothing of the in- 
terest of the money laid out in the pur- 
chase before the farmer can reap a crop. 
AVho would sell such a farm to a British 
emigrant, at one-third less than the cost,— 
and ill country too, which^ it would appear 
from the reports of ihis'' Emigrant Society,'* 
is rising so fast in weaUb and importance? 
In order to show how well calculated such 
detailed accounts are to deceive the unwa- 
ry, I need only refer the reader to Mr. 
liiilvbeclv's statement in his tenth lettei*! 



233 

from the Illinois^ and the reply to it by Mr. 
Cobbett. , 

In vol. iii. of the Memoirs of the Phila- 
delphia Society for promoting agriculture; 
is the following calculation. It is intended 
to encourage the breaking up new land, by 
showing that '' the average produce of an 
acre of ground will pay for the whole cost of 
<^learing, &c. and even the original price of 
tke land, in the first year." 

D. C. 
'^ It is calculated that with us 

clearing and fencing cost per acre 12 
One bushel of wheat sowed on 

do. I 50 

[farrowing do. - - 3 

Harvesting do. - - 2 

Thrashino:do. - - 3 75 



The whole cost of clearing, 
mowing, &c. of an acre - 22 25 

or about £5 sterlins^. 



■»' 



*'If the crop be estimated at 20 bushels 
per acre, this at 1^ dollar, (the price it com- 
monly sells for between spring and harvest,) 

amounts to 30 dollars, or £6 15s.; leaving 

2 G 



234 

a profit per acre of 7 dollars and 75 cent», 
or£l 15s/' 

This is a delusive kind of reasoning. 
But to set this in a proper point of view, 
we must assume new data. The settler 
does not purchase this solitary acre. It is, 
we will suppose, part of a lot of 200 acres. 
This land in the new British Settlement, 
will, at the lowest calculation, cost 1000 
dollars, or £225 sterling*. It will perhaps 
be granted to me, that the interest of the 
capital employed in the purchase, must be 
considered as the yearly rent of the land. 
In this case, as a credit is allowed for part 
of the purchase-money, we will deduct 100 
dollars, or £25, for prompt payment. The 
interest then of the sum of £200, at tlie 
rate of six per cent, is £12 per annum, 
which must be considered as the rent of the 
estate. He can reap no wheat the first year, 
consequently (taking the estimate of the 
expence of clearing, putting in the crop, 
&c. as before,) the account ought to stand 
as follows: — 



235 

Two years' rent at £12 - £24 
Expeiices as above for 10 acres^ 
at £b per acre - - - 50 



Total £74 
The value of ten acres of wheat, at the 
highest vahiation, viz. £6 15s. would be only 
£67 10s. 

In the above statement^ the remaining 
lot of 190 acres is considered worth nothing. 
There is no grass upon it, and if a cow is 
kept alive, &c. by browsing, her milk is not 
worth more than the labour of felling the 
trees for her use. 

1 have only calculated the expences and 
the net produce of ten acres for the first 
crop as above, in order to expose the falla- 
cy of those numerous statements, which, be- 
ing built upon the same grounds as those 
taken by INlr. J., are suffered to go forth to 
tlie world uncontradicted. They operate 
with great force upon the minds of those 
emii^rrants who are unable to make their 
own calculations, and detect the imposture. 
The consequence is, that they make their 



23G 

purchases rashly, and, calculating upon a 
quick return, too often sink too great a pro- 
portion of their capital at their first en- 
trance upon their farm. Thus they involve 
themselves in difficulties, from which a life 
of indefatigable industry will scarcely relieve 
them. Mr, Birkbeck, in his estimation of 
the capital necessary for sitting down com- 
fortably upon a section of prairie land, 
takes only one-seventh of the sum for the 
purchase of the ground. How much smaller 
then ought that proportion to be when the 
settlement is wood-land ! 

Let it not be imagined, that because it 
appears by my calcidation that the farmer 
will be out of pocket by the culture of his 
first ten acres, he will continue to lose by 
such a method of proceeding. It must be 
remembered that the next crop upon the 
same lot will cost comparatively little, while 
he continues to encroach upon the forest 
every year. According to the principle 
acted upon in my calculation, viz. laying 
the estimated rent upon that land which 



c 



237 



alone is of any aclvantnge lo (he settler, the 
more land he g'ets under cultivation, the less 
Avill every succeeding- acre cost him in clear- 
ing-. In process of time, if he is industri- 
ous, his estate will become valuable, and 
will abundantly repay all his labours. 

If the emii^rant who has been accustomed 
to En2:lish husbandry, is unable or unwili- 
ing to purchase an improved estate, in the 
mid^t of civilized society and not far from a 
market for his produce, let him push forward 
to the prairie countries — Indiana, Illinois, 
or the Missouri. He will there find laud of 
the finest quality, divested of its timber, and 
ready for the operations of agriculture. 

In this county (Susquehaunah) I had of- 
fered an estate of 240 acres, of which fifty 
are cleared, with two framed dwellings, one 
«f which is kept as a tavern, five barns, and 
a blacksmith's shop upon the same, for 
about one thousand guineas. The State 
road divides the estate. 
- Near the same place, I had another estate 
offered for sale of about 116 acres^ one half 



238 

of which is in an improved condition, with 
a framed dwelling. The price asked was 
five hundred iiuineas. The soil on both 
of the above places is strong and fertile, 
laying upon a stiff clay. 

Window glass costs here about 7^d. per 
foot. A good barn, made of sawn timber, 
and covered with rough boards, 50 feet by 
40, and finished with stabling at one end, 
can, we are told, be raised for £60, cost of 
materials included. Grist mills cost from 
£22b to £450. Saw mills, which are in- 
dispensably necessary in new settlements, 
may cost from 60 to £130. A single saw 
cuts from one to two thousand feet of tim- 
l;erinaday. Pine boards sell at the mill 
at al^out a halfpenny per foot, less or more, 
according to quality. Cherry boards, near- 
ly equal to mahogany, for less than a pen- 
ny. Shingles of white pine, at 9s. per 1000, 
&c &c. 

For above a hundred miles this country- 
is very mountainous, and generally covered 
with timber. The soil varies much in qua- 



230 

lity, but the greater part is good. There 
are few settlements. Here and (here, we 
found a lonely habitation. These we o;>- 
served had a dis<»raceful appenda^^e to them, 
in the huts of negroes. How strange it is, 
that Americans, than whom no men are 
more loud in their praises of Liberty, stiil"^^ 
continue to hold their fellow-creatures in 
the bonds of slavery, and that merely be- 
cause they find them ''guilty of a skin not 
coloured like their own " ! 

" The natural bond 
Of brotherhood is severed, as the flax 
That falls asunder at the touch of fire. 
Thus man devotes his brother, and destroys. 
And worse than all, and most to be deplor'd, 
As human nature's broadest, foulest blot. 
Chains him, and tasks him, and exacts his sweat 
With stripes, that Mercy, with a bleeding heart, 
Weeps, when she sees inflicted on a beast.** 

INIay the time soon come, when this dis- 
graceful and inhuman practice of trading 
in human flesh, shall be entirely abolished ! 
Mount Pleasant — is a new settlement. 
The situation lofty and heal l by, and the 
land excellent. 



240 

During our stay here, understanding that' 
a numerous meeting of the Baptists was to 
be held on the Sabbath, on tlie banks of a 
brook which runs between two of these 
mountains in the neigh bonihood, we walked 
to the place. We entered the valley, and 
proceeding up the banks of the stream, soon 
arrived at the place of destination. The 
heavenly strains of the women -singers float- 
ing in the breeze — the romantic sublimity 
of the scenery, and the solemnity of the or- 
dinance, were calculated to produce a won- 
derful effect upon the mind. Their vene- 
rable minister went through the ceremony 
of baptizing a young man by immersion, 
with great feeling and ability. This being 
done, two exhortations were given, and the 
multitude dispersed. 

This body of Christians seems to be on 
the increase in this country. In 1793, 
there were forty-five Baptist associations in 
the United States, 1032 churches, 1291 mi- 
nisters, and 73,471 members. In 1817 
(wlien their triennial meeting was held) the 



^41 

'number of churches, according to their re- 
port, was 2727 ; ministers, 1936 ; members^ 
183,245. Thus it appears, that in twenty- 
four years there has heen an increase of 
more than 100,000 members. It may be 
remarked that the population of the United 
States has been doubled in the same peri- 
od. 

Leaving Mount Pleasant, we proceeded 
through a country partaking much of the 
nature of that last described, viz. wild and 
uneven, to Forsytii's, a celebrated inn, situ- 
ated about eio^ht miles south of the boun- 
dary between the States of New York and 
Pennsylvania, in tlie midst of an extensive 
tract of woodland. 

Much has been said by travellers upon 
the accommodations they have met with at 
difi'erent inns: — the beds especially have 
come in for their share of abuse '' You as- 
semble together," saysBirkbeck, "in rooms 
crowded with beds, something like the wards 
of an hospital ; where^ after undressing in 
public, you are fortunate if you escape a 



9 



H 



242 

J>artner In your bed, in addition to the my- 
riads of bugs, which you need not hope to 
escape/' This may he, and probably is true, 
of the country through which he travelled, 
but no part of that Avhich I have seen is de- 
serving of this stigma. Beds more comfort- 
able, could not have been made at any place 
where I have yet slept in the interior of A- 
merica. They are mostly single. In some 
cases there is only one in a room; — mostly 
iwOj which 1 should always prefer in a re- 
spectable inn in this country ; — but rarely, 
very rarely, three beds in one apartment. 
In the last case, the room is generally very 
large. 

Our victuals have invariably been served 
up in the best style. If we have had any 
thing to complain of, it is the too great va- 
riety of dishes. The charge is generally 
half a dollar per meal, sometimes less. At 
the second-rate and inferior inns the fare is 
lower. But when the landlord is paid there 
are no cringing waiters, nor chambermaids, 
Kor porters, nor lacqueys to satisfy. A per- 



243 

son may travel ten thousand miles in Ame- 
rica in a stage-coach^ without ever being 
accosted by ^'Sir, remember the driver." 
I have never yet seen any of those cursing", 
drunken, and unthankful tribe of drivers, 
which ahound in Old England. How much 
pleasanter it is to pay the whole fare at the 
coach-office, than to pay at every stage at 
the caprice of these habitual grumblers ! 

Julj/30. — Proceeding on our way towards 
Newburg, we crossed the Delaware near 
Bethel. The river, which is here near 500 
feet broadband 15 or 16 feet deep, is crossed 
by a ferry-boat. An elegant bridge is in a 
state of considerable forwardness at this 
phice. It lias two arches of about 270 feet 
chord each. The planks of which the 
arches are made, are slender, but several of 
them being firmly fastened together, they 
are sufficiently strong for any purpose. 
Two or more of these planks (as the length 
of the arch may be) are fastened together 
s^iid bent to a proper curvature. Upon 



§44 

these^ others are laid^ and fastened firmly 
•with screw-bolts, &c. &c. 

There are some fine alluvial lands on the 
margin of this noble river. The little vil- 
lao^e of Bethel stands on an eminence at a 
little distance from it. Although the low 
lands are frequently inundated to a consider- 
able depth, this place is completely out of 
the flood way. The soil, with the excep- 
tion of the bottoms, is not rich, nor in any 
>vay very desirable to the agriculturist. The 
lumber trade is carried on in this neighbour- 
hood to a considerable extent. 

Proceedino* towards Monticello, the ca- 
pital of Sullivan county, we passed through 
a country of the same uneven varying na- 
ture, — rough and stony. The timber is 
mostly beech and pine. The laurel, which 
almost covers the country, is in full bloom. 
Deer are said to abound. 

Monticello — about forty miles west of 
Newburg, This is a peculiarly neat and 
pleasant little town, containing about fifty 



'245 

gobd houses — a fine couit house, gaol, &c, 
&c. 

Mamakali^g. — This is a small neat vil- 
lage of about twenty houses, situate in the 
midst of a vale of considerable extent. The 
soil is light and gravelly. The harvest 
commences here about the middle of Ju- 

Blooming BURG. — A beautiful flourish- 
in«: town, containiuii- about 300 inhabitants. 
^Ve were here joined by an Eir^dish travel- 
ler, who was making a tour through the 
Northern provinces. flaving compared 
notes, w^e pushed forward towards Montgo- 
mery, over a country considerably better 
than any] we had lately seen. The soil does 
not appear to be deep or strong, but it is 
very fertile, and better cultivated than al- 
most any tract of country we have yet 
seen. 

The Willkill, which runs past this place, 
would, in almost any country but America, 
be esteemed a stream of great magnitude. 



246 

I( is passed here l)y a crazy wooden bridge 
of twelve arches. 

The town itself Is tolerably large^ con- 
taining- several regular and well-built streets, 
and, for an inland town, possesses a consi- 
derable trade. 

From Montgomery to Newburg tlie qua- 
lity of the soil is below mediocrity. 

New BURG — on the Hudson. This place, 
situated upon a rising ground on the banks 
of a noble river, has a good appearance, 
and must be healthy. Being the medium of 
all the trade between New York and the 
country through which we have been tra- 
velling, it must flourish as that country en- 
creases in wealth and improvement. Tt 
does not appear that there is any prospect 
of a rapid enlargement, as from the superi- 
ority otthe situation of Albany, and the ri- 
valship of many little towns upon the banks 
of the same river, these places must swallow 
lip a considerable portion of the com* 
inerce. 



9A7 

]0 p. m. — We took the steam-boat here 
for New York. At the distance of about 
a mile^ a signal is given of her approach by 
the ringing' of a bell^ and a small boat is 
sent off to the shore for passengers, &c. 
Although the night was excessively dark, 
no sooner had we laid hold of the rope 
which was handed from the vessel, than siie 
set off at fall speed, leaving us to clamber 
up the side with our luggage as well as we 
coidd. This practice is very reprehensible, 
as much danger is thereby incurred. We 
arrived at New York, distant about eighty 
miles, in about seven hours. 

New York, Aifg. 2. — The weather is in- 
tensely hot at this season. In an open pas- 
sage in ^Vall-street I have frequently ob- 
served the thermometer (Fahrenheit's) at 
91, and even as high as 93 degrees. It is 
asserted that it has been as high as 98 in 
the shade, and 144 in the sun. The houses 
and the causeways being mostly of brick, 
the sun has great power. The nights are 
Y.ery sultry. 



!^48 

The following account of the dislribiillon 
of caloric is interesting. It is taken from 
the minutes of the General Land Office^ 
and may be relied on as authentic. 

June, 1819. 

Mean for the Month. Highest. Lowest* 

Wooster 7201 8y— I9th .58— 1st 

ChlHcothie ll.OQ 98— 18th. .. ,60— 2nd 

Cincinnati 74.05 94- — 17th... 51 *- 

Jefferson. villa 79 61 97— 18rh 60— 1st 

Shawneetown . . . 74 35 95 — 17th.... 54 — 12th 

New Gallatin 74.85 92— 1 8ih 54— 2nd 

Savannah 77.51 97 — 29th^. . . .64— 7th 

These seven positions are within an area 
of about nine degrees of latitude and seven 
of longitude. The mean temperature of 
the month differed but by 9.16. In six of 
these places the greatest heat^ and in five^ 
the least heat, was on the same days nearly. 
Wooster is situated near the sources of ri* 
vers, which are discharged into Lake Erie 
iiud into the Ohio, reachitig the ocean by 
the St. Lawrence and the Mississipi; it is 



/ 

r^ 



M9 

probably bigber above the level of the 
ocean, and it was also cooler tban either of 
the other positions. 

Chmate is always an interesting consider- 
ation. tt would be well if emi«:rants would 
make this a matter of particular enquiry. 
Upon this subject, Mr. Birkbeck in his 
^^ Notes'' (page 141) says ^^ The heat of 
this climate is not so oppressive to my feel- 
ings in the open prairies, as in the deep 
woods, nor in either, so much as I expected. 
1 have been using strong exercise through 
three of the hottest days that have been ex- 
perienced for years, as say the people who 
talk of the weather, in the prairies — at 
Shawnee Town, on the Ohio, and here at 
Princeton — "How did you stand the heat 
of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday ?'* The 
fact was, that in one of those days, I walked 
with my gun in the prairie, exposed to the 
sun's rays, in quest of turkies, and travelled 
on horseback the other two, without great 
inconvenience. There is the comfort of a 

breeze every day ; and the only breezeless 

3 I 



25a 

sultry nl^ht I have experienced, proved the' 
prelude to a thunder-storm the succeedhig 
day. I think it may be attributed to these 
frequent thunder storms, that the summers 
of this climate are so pleasant and salubrious/'' 
&c. 1 am inclined to believe, that the a- 
bove account is deceptive. My opinion 
is founded upon the evidence of the state- 
ment before given and another w^hieh is sub- 
joined^ and which is from the pen of Judge 
Parke. Vincennes, which is situated a few 
miles to the north-east of Mr. B/s prairie, 
is the place where the observations are 
taken. 

Extremes of Fahrenheit' s Thermometer. 

Deg. Deg. 

December, 1816, 17 lowest 67 highest 
January, 1817, 11 bel. Zero 60 

February 

March, — - 
April, — — 

June, 

July, 

August^ » 



5 do. 


66 


18 


70 


39 


83 


52 


88 


58 


95 


53^ 


95 



251 

Sept. 40 93 

Oct. 23 80 

Nov. 24 70 

Dec. 2 66 

Jan. 1818 5bel.Zero59 

Feb. (to the 12th) 16(]o. 40 

According" lo tliis statement^ the heat at 
tlie time alliuled to by Mr. B. was about 95 
ill tlie shade ; — a degMce of heat which would 
not be found very '' pleasant or salubrious " 
to an English constitution. 

It appears tliat the weather is very irre- 
gular. The seasons also seem to vary con- 
siderably in their temperature. 

Tlie city inspector reports the death of 
55 persons in a week. Of this number^ four 
were between the ages of 60 and 70; and 
one between 70 and 80. The Cholera Mor- 
bus seems to be a prevalent disease. Of 
88 who died this week at Phiiadelpliia, 25 
fell under the influence of that disorder. 

Many of the houses in the American ci- 
ties have only their fronts built of brick — 
the rest being made of frained-timber and 



252 

boards. It is owin^ to this peculiar con- 
struction of the houses, that conflagrations 
are so nnmerous and destructive. A o:reat 
fire happened durini^' our short stay at New 
York. Jt was at midnight, and the crowd 
assembled was immense ; but I could not 
hear, after a most anxious enqiury, of any 
depredation being committed. 
^ It is calcidated that there are not more 
than 4,000 people of colour in this city. 
Nearly one half of this number are slaves. 
These, for the most part, liave their own 
places of worship. Tiiey seem remarka- 
bly fond of dress: that of the fasliionab!e 
females is g'eneraily, at this sea^son, of white 
muslin. 

The progress of moral setUAments, which 
are at war with interest, must alwa}s, from 
the nature of the human mind, be slow and 
gradual. In this case, viz. the enrancipa- 
tion of slaves, much has been done and 
much remains to be done. It is a reflection 
humiliating* to hunmn nature, t(» consider, 
that those very men who eucouraged the 
keeping- of slaves, subscribed the following 



263 

celebrated Declaration, dated July 4, 1776 : 
'' We hold these truths to be self-evident, 
that all men are created equal; that they 
are endowed by their Creator, with certain 
unalienable rights; that among them are 
life, liberty," &c. &c. "■ If/* says one, 
*"' there is an object truly ridiculous in na- 
ture, it is an American patriot signing reso- 
lutions of independence with the one hand, 
and with the othci" brandishing a whip over 
bis affri"dited slaves." 

At that period the abolition of the slave- 
tt*ade had few advocates, but a considerable 
improvement has taken place. Whole re* 
ligious societies have relinquished the hold- 
ing of slaves. It is entirely al)oli.shed in 
some of the States. In others, provision is 
made for its o;radual abolition. In Vcr- 
mont, Massachusets and New Hampshire, 
there are no slaves ; in the States of Rhode 
Island and Connecticut, very few. But, 
after all, it is a lamentable fact, that the 
number of slaves is encreasiuij:. A census 
of all the inhabitants in the several States, 
is taken once in ten years. 



254 

In 1800, tlie ininiber of ^vhites and fiee 
people of colour was 4,411,817, and the 
number of slaves 896,849. In 1810, the 
number of whites, &c was 6,048,539 ; and 
of slaves 1,191,364; being- an increase of 
two hundred and ninety -four thousand five 
hundred and fifteen slaves in ten years ! 
In Georii^ia, Viro^inia, Kentucky, and Ma- 
rylaud, the slaves form about one-third of 
Ihe population. Wlietlier the liberation of 
all these slaves at one time would be a mat- 
ter of policy, is doubtful ; but it is g-ratino- 
to the feelings of every son of humanily to 
see, that though the importation of these 
creatures is prohibited, the ir number is en- 
creasin": in uearlv the same ratio as that of 
tiic free part of the population. 

<* I would not have a slave to till my ground, 
To carry me, to fan me while I sleep, 
And tremble when I wake, for all the wealth 
That sinews bought and sold have ever earnM. 
No : dear as freedom is, and in my heart's 
Just estimation priz'd above all price, 
I had much rather be myself the slave, 
hw^ wear the bonds, than fasten ihem on him,** 



255 

F'arms of every description are offered for 
sale. Near tlie banks of the Hudson, the 
Delaware and the Scuylkill, good farms 
may be bought for about ten or eleven gui- 
neas per acre. Much of the land in these 
situations, is very productive. The vicini- 
ty of the cities, and the easy carriage of 
goods, render the produce very valuable. 
The taxes and poor-rates are trifling'. The 
absence of tithes is also a great pi ivilege. 
The owner can with truth say, '' this ground 
is my own.'* He holds it upon no slavish 
condition. The birds of the air which he 
feeds, — the fishes which swim in his streams, 
< — as well as all the metals and minerals con- 
tained within the bounds of his farm, to the 
very centre of the earth, may be claimed by 
him by a title which no one will dare to dis- 
pute. He has a share in the government 
of his country, having a free vote in the 
election of representatives and senators. 
His political rights are secured to him ; 
and with respect to his religious privileges, 
he can worship God under his own vine 



DO 



nnd his own fii;'-tree, none darlnfj^ to make 
him afraid. There are no dissenters, for 
tliere is no establish meiit to dissent fi"om ;— 
hence, no one has to pay for what he can- 
not conscientiously receive Nevertheless, 
strange as it may seem to those wlio think 
that the ark of the Lord cannot be kept 
from falliniT unless the head of a State be 
upraised to support it, the cause of religion 
seems to prosper. May it continue to do 
so, until the earth shall be filled with the 
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus 
my Lord ! 



THE END. 



R. Bateman, Printer, Appleby, 















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